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Planetree Member Benefits


 

About Planetree Membership

The original pioneers of patient-centered care, Planetree has been personalizing, humanizing and demystifying health care experience for patients and their families for more than 30 years. We are a growing community of acute care hospitals, continuing care facilities and outpatient clinics across the globe within a diverse range of settings: from large urban hospitals such as New York Presbyterian and Cleveland Clinic and several VA hospitals to rural community hospitals. Patient-centered organizations also focus on supporting the professional and personal aspirations of their staff members, who can more effectively care for patients if they are cared for themselves.

Planetree is not a one-size-fits-all solution and is adapted to suit the needs of patients while respecting personal, cultural and religious differences. Since interest in patient-centered care has intensified in all corners of the world, Planetree has also welcomed member hospitals from Brazil, Japan, Netherlands and Canada.

Planetree is a transformational philosophy, not a program. It’s about creating culture change and delivering health care that is putting patients first. As a Planetree member, health care leaders attain the expertise, tools and support needed to transform their health care experiences for patients and caregivers alike. Planetree provides consultant services from a cadre of health care and design consultants committed to creating a different kind of health care that emphasizes concern for the dignity and humanity of the patient. Members draw from Planetree’s 30 years of experience and to share research, policies and procedures, experience and knowledge to support fellow members in their journeys and overcome any potential barriers along the way.

 

Build Relationships and Engage with Experts

Meet fellow health care innovators—from CEOs to CNOs, physicians, HR directors and chaplains—from the U.S., Canada and abroad at our Planetree events such as the Planetree Annual Conference in October. Our staff is always available to provide their expertise and research about a variety of topics, among them: quality, safety, healing design, employee engagement, leadership development, patient satisfaction

Online membership section provides an affiliate directory and communication tools to easily connect.


Increase Your Knowledge
Stay on top of industry trends in patient-centered care by utilizing our many valuable resources.

    • Access to the Members Section of the Planetree web site featuring a variety of tools, including: policies and procedures, audio archive of PlaneKnowledge conference calls, PlaneTalk archive

    • PlaneKnowledge conference call series focusing on affiliates sharing success stories about the implementation of Planetree principles and model of care.

    • As a member you receive complimentary copy of PlaneTalk, a bi-monthly magazine showcasing membership news, research, how-to articles and innovative ideas from industry experts and Planetree colleagues.

    • The recently published Patient-Centered Care Improvement Guide may be downloaded for free from the web site. The Guide contains a self assessment tool, practical approaches for building a patient-centered culture, stakeholder engagement strategies as well as 150 specific practices and tools

    • Planetree’s Annual Conference is held each October presenting an opportunity like no other for professional development in patient-centered care. The Planetree Conference is known for its line up of top-notch keynote speakers who motivate and educate as well as its many workshops and presentations designed to increase knowledge, share improvement strategies and inspire new Planetree projects at your site.

    • The second edition of Putting Patients First-Best Practices in Patient-Centered Care, Editors: Susan B. Frampton and Patrick A. Charmel (for purchase)

"The second edition of Putting Patients First showcases what Planetree facilities and the Planetree organization have learned about the commitments, conditions, practices, and policies that are needed to do more than give lip service to being 'patient-centered.' It should be read by every student, nurse, physician, administrator, trustee, policy maker, and lay person who is committed to creating healing environments, holding facilities accountable for their rhetoric, and truly reforming health care."
—Diana J. Mason, PhD, RN, FAAN, editor in chief, American Journal of Nursing

"Of all the dimensions on which health care needs to improve, the most important is 'patient-centeredness.' In this timely volume, some of the best minds in the field guide us to rethink the very definition of that term, and show us both the boldness and the promise of new forms, systems, and attitudes that can help us become what we ought to be: not hosts to our patients, but well-behaved, respectful guests in their lives."
—Donald M. Berwick, MD, MPP, president and CEO, Institute for Healthcare Improvement

 

 

 

Business Case for Planetree

Credibility and Market Differentiation
Planetree affiliation provides members significant market differentiation and prestige, as well as international and regional recognition through Planetree affiliation. At a time when the term patient-centered is being overused and misused in the industry, Planetree membership becomes even more meaningful and signifies commitment to an overarching philosophy and transformation of care.

How can I afford Planetree membership during these challenging economic times?
Patient-centered care is not only an empowering philosophy, but a viable, vital and cost-effective model. During tough economic times, it’s particularly important to focus efforts on best practices and efficiencies, and our members practicing the Planetree model have demonstrated the concrete advantages of providing patient-centered care.

What are the business advantages?
Planetree institutions have individually reported a host of clinical and operational level benefits including increased patient satisfaction, increased staff retention, enhanced staff recruitment, decreased length of stay, decreased emergency room return visits, fewer medication errors and improved liability claims experience.

In order to ensure quality care, patient satisfaction and ultimately optimum reimbursement, savvy health care providers are recognizing the importance of heeding the voice of patients and finding ways to deliver care that responds to the feedback received. For a more in-depth report on the business case, please click on Healthcare Financial Management article.

 

 

 

 

FAQ


Does Planetree Improve patient outcomes?

To provide a measure of the effect of Planetree on inpatient quality, Susan Stone, Ph.D., RN, Chief Nurse and Operating Officer at Sharp Coronado Hospital, compared data from a Planetree unit and a non-Planetree unit. She examined patient satisfaction, length of stay, readmission and cost per case and this research demonstrated that Planetree implementation improved quality outcomes.

Click here to read Susan's Stone Article

 

Can Planetree help with HCAHPS?

The adoption of the HCAHPS patient experience of care survey as a national standard and the launch of public reporting of HCAHPS data has raised hospitals’ awareness of the need to take action to improve the patient experience. Planetree hospitals have long been engaged in the work of identifying and responding to the full range of patient needs, many of which are explicitly measured by the HCAHPS survey, including communication with nurses and physicians, responsiveness of staff, and cleanliness and quiet in the hospital.  Planetree is pleased to offer HCAHPS Consultation Services to assist hospitals in understanding, communicating and utilizing their HCAHPS data to continually improve the patient experience.
Menu of HCAHPS Services

    • Presentations to Leadership and Boards of Directors
    • Customized HCAHPS Data Analysis
    • Qualitative Patient Experience Research to Understand HCAHPS
    • Quality, Safety and Research Forum Listserv

Six organizations that had fully implemented the Planetree models, as demonstrated by their participation in pilot-testing Planetree’s Patient-Centered Hospital Designation Program, as a group exceeded the HCAHPS national average as reported by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in all ten patient experience domains.

 

 

 

What is the designation program?

The Patient-Centered Hospital Designation Program was created by Planetree to recognize hospitals around the world that have embraced and implemented patient-centered care in a comprehensive manner. The program is based on Planetree’s decades of experience in working with patients, families, and hospitals. The Patient-Centered Hospital Designation Program is based on the core patient-centered care elements identified and practiced by pioneering Planetree affiliate hospitals, as well additional elements related to organizational structures and measurement. For each core element, specific criteria were identified that hospitals must meet in order to demonstrate that they have implemented that aspect of a patient-centered approach to care. The criteria are designed to provide a level of consistency in what it means to be a patient-centered hospital while still continuing to promote individuality and innovation in the delivery of care. The criteria are designed to be applicable to all acute care hospitals, irrespective of size, location, or affiliation with Planetree. The designation program provides a practical, operational framework for evaluating the organizational systems and processes necessary to sustain a patient-centered culture. In order to achieve designation, a hospital must undergo a rigorous, yet collaborative, process to verify that it has successfully implemented programs that meet the spirit and intent of the designation criteria. An applicant hospital initially conducts a self-assessment and then submits documentation to Planetree. After reviewing the documentation, if the hospital appears to meet the criteria, Planetree schedules a site visit to verify the hospital’s implementation.

 

Does Planetree offer design consultation?

Making choices about the design of your new facilities, additions to your hospitals, or renovations in your departments can have a profound impact on the patient, visitor and staff experience in your facility, and ultimately the health and wellness of all who occupy it. The physical environment provides multiple opportunities to create a “sacred space” for anyone who comes in contact with your hospital or health system. Through interactive sessions, reviews of your strategic plan, master plan and budget, and meetings with your architect, construction manager and others, Planetree’s Design Consultation Services are intended to help you realize your vision for your own healing and healthy environment and to provide you with practical input for moving forward. As such, whether you are embarking on a new building project, in the midst of a renovation, or considering some interim “face lifts,” we have developed a menu of Design Consultation Services to meet your needs. These services are offered to you in concert with the latest research, best practices and evidence-based design criteria that will allow you the opportunity to create a truly unique, efficient and Planetree facility that matches the mission of your organization.

 

 

How long does implementation take?

Because Planetree is a philosophy meant to bring about transformative culture change, implementation follows a series of tried-and-true steps leading hospitals on their journeys. Each member has a Planetree Services Consultation Specialist who will travel for on-site consultations and is available for phone consultation to guide them through every step of the way. In addition Planetree senior leadership and staff are always accessible to answer questions. The first year’s schedule of activities includes selection of a Planetree coordinator, organizational assessments, informational sessions, leadership retreats and medical staff consultation. The pace of the journey depends upon the individual members. Our members see results within six months to one year but since this is not simply a program, a complete cultural transformation typically takes three years.

 

 

How do you measure results?

The success of any health care organization relies on the relationships it builds with several important groups—its employees, patients, community members and physicians. That is why it is crucial to understand the principle drivers that lead to high levels of satisfaction, good reputation, a safe environment, and employer and hospital of choice status. The Planetree team can assist you in understanding and communicating your hospital’s current standing with employees, patients, physicians as well as residents of the local community.

 

 

What are the membership dues?

Contracts are customized for each member, taking into account the required time and resources, therefore the size of the facility and number of employees are factors

 

 

How Can I learn about becoming a member?

Planetree encourages health leaders to participate in a learning journey by visiting Planetree and Griffin Hospital in Derby, Connecticut, or a nearby Planetree affiliate. A guided tour gives leaders a first-hand experience and an opportunity for a more in-depth question and answer session with staff responsible for implementation. Planetree staff is available to meet with prospective members at their facilities as well. Please call Planetree’s home office at 203-732-1365 to schedule a telephone consultation and/or a Planetree learning journey. We may also recommend for a Planetree consultant to tour your facility.


 

Please call Planetree’s home office at 203-732-1365 to schedule a telephone consultation and/or a Planetree learning journey. We may also recommend for a Planetree consultant to tour your facility.