—Dedication to High-Quality, Patient-Centered Care

—One-Stop Service System Increases Patient Comfort and Convenience

For the fourth consecutive year, Severance Hospital has been rated Korea’s top hospital in the National Customer Satisfaction Index (NCSI).  In its evaluation, the NCSI recognized Severance’s strong patient-centered culture, which, with the motto “We never give up,” considers patient comfort and satisfaction the top priority. According to Kim Ki-jun, director of Quality Improvement at Severance, “Our unique patient-focused culture continually strives to meet the needs and wishes of our patients.”

 Effective Feedback System

Severance has created a novel feedback system to quickly respond to inconveniences experienced by patients during their stay at the hospital.  This system also verifies whether patients are satisfied with the hospital’s efforts to rectify such problems. Furthermore, the use of the “happy call” system facilitates easy communication between patients and hospital personnel. 

At the same time, Severance stresses empathetic and individualized treatment; as such physicians and nurses make a point of frequently meeting with patients to monitor their condition and listen to their concerns. To further improve the quality of treatment, consultation times have been lengthened so that patients do not feel rushed. Business hours have also been expanded, allowing patience to receive consultations or treatments at a time that is convenient for them.  Finally, Severance has minimized the waiting time for treatments, consultations, and checkups.  

 Increased Patient Satisfaction

President and CEO of Severance Hospital, Yoon Do-heum, emphasizes the convenient and comfortable patient-centered care offered through the Severance system. For instance, prayer spaces are provided for staff, patients, and visitors, while a number of seats are reserved in waiting rooms for wheelchair-bound patients.  Additionally, elevators are configured for mobility-impaired patients, sign language interpreters are on hand, and there are a number of “red jacket” nurses standing by to answer questions.  There are also pleasant cultural spaces and designated resting areas for patients and their visitors.  And in order to solidify its status as a medical hub in Asia, Severance recently convened a task force to enhance the comfort and safety of international patients. As with all of Severance’s patients, the emphasis is upon convenient and compassionate patient-centered care.  

 One-Stop Administration System

While a number of measures have been taken to reduce waiting times, Severance has also created comfortable “rest zones,” with free beverages and other amenities, in order to make the waiting time more pleasant. In the unfortunate case that a treatment or consultation is delayed, patients are quickly and clearly explained the reason and told how long they should expect to wait.

The administrative process has been streamlined through the use of Severance’s “One-Stop Service System.”  This system minimizes the number of stations that a patient must stop by during the course of a visit. The location of stations, such as for registration, hospital admission, and payments, are clearly marked and well-organized, allowing patients to pass through rapidly and painlessly. Severance also offers an escort service for patients who require additional assistance.