Service Fanatics: How to Build Superior Patient Experience the Cleveland Clinic Way

by James Merlino

An in-depth case study of Cleveland Clinic’s revolutionary transformation around the customer—a powerful model for any leader seeking to drive positive organizational change

Although Cleveland Clinic was recognized as having among the best clinical outcomes in the nation, the same was not true regarding patient experience. Service Fanatics shows the specific steps the Clinic took to go from the bottom 10th percentile in Medicare's survey to above the 90th percentile in less than 10 years. Today, the Clinic is recognized as a thought leader in the emerging field of patient experience. How did they do it? More important, how can others do the same?

Service Fanatics explains the strategies and tactics any leader can emulate to turn his or her organization into a patient- and family-centric healthcare delivery model. It also candidly describes the challenges in execution and the solutions leaders can apply. Featuring customer service case studies from other industries and interviews with C-level executives at top corporations, it offers specific lessons per chapter for any manager and business leader beyond healthcare.

Genres: Business, Nonfiction

Audio CD

First published October 27, 2014

Reviews

[Joe · Rating 2 out of 5]

There's meat here, but boy do you have to pick through a lot of fat to find it. This is basically a pamphlet stretched out to book length.

Merlino advocates for better service in healthcare and that is extremely important. As an employee in the industry, my institution also makes this a priority. In my opinion, Merlino's most important points are:

1. Everyone at your medical institution is a caregiver and should think of themselves that way.
2. Caregivers should empathize with patients - they don't want to be at the hospital and you should do everything you can to make their time there as pleasant as possible. But remember they would rather be anywhere else.
3. Caregivers and patients should be partners. Patients need to advocate for their care, and caregivers should explain to patients what they are doing and set reasonable expectations.
4. Employees need to treat each other with respect. Merlino thinks that this is especially important for doctors, at the top of the hospital food chain, to do.

I don't think that Merlino provides any particularly fresh insight into the above. He talks some about how Cleveland Clinic made changes but in general terms.

Merlino summarizes each chapter at the end. If you're assigned to read it at your institution, like we were, I'd suggest saving a lot of time by skipping to the summaries.

[Jay French · Rating 3 out of 5]

This doesn’t feel like a normal how-to book. Instead, it is mostly reflections of the author’s journey creating a customer satisfaction program at Cleveland Clinic and at other places where he has consulted. This seemed quite high level and anecdotal, without consistent recommendations coming out of them. One thing to keep in mind is that the author had strong upper management sponsorship of the satisfaction program. Without strong backing, I suspect the outcomes would have been drastically less interesting. Also note that, while the author has consulted at a number of organizations in different industries, a majority of this book is focused on the world of the hospital, with doctors and groups holding much of the political capital running the organization. Not every organization is comparable, and the suggestions may or may not apply. But overall, I am a sucker for good business anecdotes that illustrate common business processes in new ways. I found many of the anecdotes were good at illustrating the processes the author was promoting.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

First, I’m a nurse. Second, I’m a nurse who was asked to come up with a project to improve our patient satisfaction. Third, I’m busy (just like everyone else) so I needed to create a project that didn’t require a lot of time (less audits, more patient care!)

I picked up this book, along with a handful of articles, seeking inspiration (and really good ideas - I’m not here to recreate the wheel!)

It boils down to remembering that patients are people before anything else. They have lives outside of the hospital (just like we do!) We need to treat each other how we want to be treated (with kindness and honesty) and allow patients to have some say in what the heck is going on with their minds and bodies. The stories shared in this book are helpful and inspiring. Solid work.

I’ve recommended it (and will continue to recommend) to folks in the patient satisfaction business. I can’t really say I *loved* this book, simply because i don’t *love* this topic. But it was well written, shared great examples, and inspired a successful project.

[Sharon Gawer chapman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must read if you work in healthcare

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Over the last few years I have talked to patients that have gone for care to Cleveland Clinic ( their Maine Campus in Cleveland). They had such wonderful things to say, not only about the care from the medical staff but also the kindness and empathy from the others they interacted with before, during and after their visits.
I was interested in how this all came about as it was not always that way at CC. I am employed as a Customer Service Representative at the largest hospital in my state. I am at the Main Entrance where every person ( that is not an employee) enters. It is a job that can bring great satisfaction but also huge challenges.
Would reading this book help me navigate some of my challenging days?
Well, I will say there was some useful information . I was intrigued by the transformation came about at CC and saw some things I can bring to my team.
May we all strive to be the best we can when working in healthcare. Not easy in these days of financial cuts and short staffing. But most of us enjoy what we do and that keeps us going.

[Lainie Messina · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lot of the content in here is in my training programs. However, it was good to hear how the Cleveland Clinic got its Providers and an entire system behind such an important culture shift. Do it because putting the patient first is the right thing, and the metrics will follow.

[V H D · Rating 5 out of 5]

Healthcare change is hard. the bigger you are, harder it is to turn around the ship. Dr. Merlino has left us a chronicle of the journey critical to healthcare of tomorrow, which responds to the consumerization, but doesn't lose sight of empathy.

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Boek biedt inzicht hoe cleveland clinic zichzelf tot referentieziekenhuis op vlak van patient experience heeft gebracht. Het boek biedt een goed kader, enkele bruikbare inzichten om patient experience organisatiebreed op te pakken.

[Aban Bahabri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Listened to the audio version, a good introductory book for anyone interested patient experience, even on personal or institutional level

[Alana Reeder · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dry but very eye opening in my new role. Work required reading

[Dale V]

Rec: Scott Butterworth

[HM Goh · Rating 4 out of 5]

2 July 2019

Catchy title, it caught my attention instantaneously especially for me, a self-proclaimed fanatics of "good hospitality in hospital". I bought this book after an enjoyable read of Dr Toby Cosgrove's "The Cleveland Clinic Way" book.

Toby Cosgrove was the CEO of Cleveland Clinic (2004-2017).
The author, Dr James Merlino is the "CEO" too, but the "E" stands for Chief Experience Officer. An interesting portfolio for a hospital. :)
(It is also known as CXO, whereby X is designated for eXperience)

The book gave a very concise and interesting insights from a clinician (Dr Merlino) with a unique job description.

This is a very easy to read book for those who are involved in hospital management, customer services and patients relations. It will further reenforce the converts who believe in "Patient First" philosophy of "Patient Experience".

Recommended read for all Hospital CEO and "CEO". And all the frontline managers and those in-charge of frontline customers' touch points. Eg COO, CNO, CMO.

[Juan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting but long-winded.

[Denise Morse · Rating 4 out of 5]

A required read at my workplace and an important one. I wish all doctors were forced to read this is medical school or at least the personal stories of patients. So often we take for granted our patients and think of them as just numbers, but they deserve better. In this changing landscape of healthcare, we cannot afford to maintain the status quo. Patients have choices about where to go and who to see, only those centers or doctors with the highest quality, value and patient satisfaction will survive

[Doug Della pietra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent description of the inspiring journey and key steps that the Cleveland Clinic has taken over the last 5 years to transform the patient and family experience across their organization!

A "must read" for Patient Experience leaders and anyone passionate about reforming the delivery of care in healthcare!

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was handed out to all employees where I work. It is an important read for anyone working in the health care environment.

[Justin · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. One of the best business books I have ever read

[Vic · Rating 3 out of 5]

It had some interesting points that I can apply to work. It started off slow, but I liked the second half.