Think of the people you serve: It's an understood that the patient is the primary customer. But are they really the only customer?

Healthcare organizations that have really "gotten it right" have long recognized that the patient is only part of the customer equation. Indeed, the family plays a vital role in the patient's overall perception of the care. The family is also a critical piece of making certain that the patient follows the treatment protocols or standards prescribed to the patient. The family contact is also often the one who completes your patient survey, especially on behalf of older patients.

Consider the family member's expectations.

A patient's family isn't necessarily a blood relative, but maybe a significant other, close friend or caregiver. These people hear the news with the patient, keep track of medical staff visits and help the patient to understand and make decisions.

For some, family members have been seen as taking up time by asking a lot of questions. That rather dated view still exists in some organizations, but it's rapidly shifting as hospitals begin to see family as helpful extenders in the patient room or outpatient setting.

Pose your own questions.

Think about how much time you spend finding out what families want from the experience that they have in accompanying a patient. When was the last time that you sat and talked with family members about their expectations? If it's been awhile, consider how your own questions can help promote better understanding and communication:

• What kind of experience are you having with us during your loved one's care?
• What could we do to enhance your experience?
• What has been convenient for you?
• What has been inconvenient for you?
• What could we do to ease the process of care for both you and your loved one?

Encourage ways to enhance the experience.

It's through asking these types of questions that hospitals have come up with all sorts of ways to improve the family experience. Those can include putting note pads in the rooms for families and patients to jot down "Questions for my doctor..." to implementing concierge programs to handle the things that had to be dropped due to unexpected hospitalization. Services like valet parking and coffee bars have many of their roots in family requests.

Interestingly, employees have often benefited too with some of the family enhancements, especially concierge services (see our client spotlight in this issue). Some hospitals have even included families in their planning for care and service unit redesign. The sky's the limit once you make the shift to view the family as an extension of the patient's care experience. They can be a tremendous help to the process, if you approach them in the right way.