Safety, Teamwork, and Communication Key to Patient Trust and Loyalty, Report Finds

Press Ganey's latest report, Patient Experience 2025, based on insights from 10.5 million patient encounters, emphasizes the importance of safety, teamwork, and communication in building patient trust and loyalty. The findings suggest that healthcare organizations focusing on these areas not only improve patient experiences but also achieve better outcomes and higher loyalty metrics.

The report notes an upward trend in patient experience scores, particularly in outpatient settings, with significant improvements in 'Likelihood to Recommend' scores across various care settings since 2019. However, it also points out that patients with unplanned admissions report lower experience ratings, highlighting the need for clearer communication and more consistent processes during these critical moments.

Teamwork within care teams has emerged as a significant factor influencing patient trust and loyalty, especially with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) now evaluating whether care teams work well together. Additionally, the report underscores the importance of safety and equity in patient care, with higher safety ratings correlating with dramatically higher loyalty scores and equitable care experiences leading to top performance in healthcare organizations.

Patrick T. Ryan, Chairman and CEO of Press Ganey, stated, 'Experience isn’t just a reflection of care—it’s the new frontier of care delivery.' The report advocates for a shift towards a discipline of reliability in healthcare, where data is used to anticipate risks and build trust through consistent behaviors and communication throughout the patient's care journey.

For more detailed insights and strategies on enhancing patient experience, the full report is available at pressganey.com/px2025.