Today we are in the midst of a three-day accreditation site visit from the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME). It's going well. The team visiting our campus will write a report and submit it to the LCME for review in October. The LCME will make their decision then we will find out if we can accept our first class of students in mid-October. Stay tuned.
This week I want to discuss how we are weaving hospitality in health care into our curriculum and clinical sites. One of the greatest assets in Las Vegas is its world-class hospitality. I'm so impressed by the amazing service people receive in our hotels, restaurants, stores, and spas. What I have learned since living here is how every detail in the hospitality industry is intentional, planned, and well designed to ensure every customer feels welcome, comfortable, and has a great experience.
Hospitality in Health Care
Last year, I attended a hospitality in health care conference sponsored by UNLV's Harrah Hotel College. Faculty, alumni, and representatives from the hospitality industry discussed how they ensure their guests have a positive experience. The industry is focused on complete customer service - a greeting from a valet or parking lot attendant, courteous and helpful hotel front desk and concierge service, and an atmosphere that sets a positive tone at the onset and carries through the entire visit. We are applying these same essential principles of hospitality to our curriculum and patient care clinics.
Often health care clinics are dreary places with long waits in uncomfortable and crowded waiting rooms. Most clinics and physician offices are designed to make the work and patient flow easy for the physicians and their staff, but not necessarily for the patients. We are working with the Harrah Hotel College to develop a new model - one that ensures patients will feel welcome, comfortable, and safe, so that the visit exceeds their expectations.
Stowe Shoemaker, PhD, dean of the Harrah Hotel College, is a national leader in this area. While in Houston, Dr. Shoemaker worked with MD Anderson Cancer Center to create a hospitality environment for patients. They were able to streamline workflow and make it more comfortable for their patients, which led to a marked improvement in patient satisfaction. A good example of this locally is the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health. They do a wonderful job incorporating principles of hospitality and we want to emulate this level of service.
Next Steps
Hospitality in health care is a focus for us currently in two key areas. One is in the overall planning and design of the medical school's first academic building at 625 Shadow Lane. The second is the design of our first clinical practice. This is where our faculty will treat patients while teaching medical students and residents. Right now we are sizing the practice and doing a full budget and business analysis. This week we started discussing the design, patient flow, and entire patient experience.
We hope we can provide every patient that visits one of our practice sites or any of our buildings with a very positive experience.
