As a research specialist in the healthcare industry, we have gained valuable entrepreneurial skills in this area over a long period of time. Specifically in the demanding area of patient satisfaction monitoring, medical technology and vendor relationships.
We know that empathy and understanding are vital when working in this area, and how important an external perspective is to work in this emotionally charged industry.
Here are some of our Healthcare projects...
Improving satisfaction for patients, GPs & suppliers - benchmarking service alignment
UltraFeedback has been working since 2000 to research the alignment of services in the highly competitive pharmaceutical industry. This is a first in the industry and specifically studies the alignment of GPs, suppliers and consumers in primary healthcare. Research has been focussed on understanding the expectations all the different groups, what their drivers of satisfaction are and their perceptions of the value they receive from each other.
A key objective of the consumer research is to identify how health management behaviours (including traditional and complementary medication use and compliance, GP reliance, pharmacy use and attitude to national health organisations, including cancer support organisations) vary by health problem areas such as cancer.
Research summary
| Year |
|
Description |
| 2000 |
|
Working with GPs to understand and benchmark the drivers of satisfaction in primary care. |
| 2001 |
|
Senior managers and GPs were interviewed to develop a benchmark measure of key service drivers. |
| 2002 |
|
Captured online input from over 650 GPs, pharmaceutical sales managers and sales representatives to measure service alignment in primary care. |
| 2003 |
|
GP practice managers first included in study. |
| 2005 |
|
Consumer perceptions included, proving a powerful view of alignment across suppliers, service – delivery and consumer groups. |
| 2007 |
|
Pharmacy perceptions included, increasing the view of alignment. |
Over this time we have been in operating theatres observing knee joint replacements, examined the sterilising processes, interviewed patients isolated by infectious diseases, explored new delivery medicines for sedation and gathered pricing information.
To support this, research has been conducted into members’ needs with divisions of GP’s, so that GP satisfaction can be measured.
Measuring management of HR and product issues - unique benchmarking research program
The Medial industry Association of Australia (MIAA), is the peak body representing the Australian medical device and diagnostics industry, with over 140 member companies.
A unique research program was developed to assess and benchmark how MIAA member companies manage HR issues and product-based issues. The program involves two internet surveys per annum, and is now running in its seventh year.
Alongside this an online quarterly quantitative benchmarking survey “the MIAA Market Barometer Online survey” has been running since 2002, providing an overall market view for the first time in the Medical Device industry. Trends captured relate to product, channel and state sales trends across the top 20 member companies of the MIAA.
Measuring patient satisfaction with hospital stays - Victorian Patient Satisfaction Monitor (VPSM)
The VPSM was developed on behalf of the Victorian Department of Human Services, and performed over three consecutive years. It’s the primary resource for patient satisfaction, and is a large scale complex project with over 100 Victorian public hospitals involved.
To date 60,000 people have been surveyed, with the survey being made available in 10 different languages using a mail self-completion questionnaire. Patients are randomly selected and asked about their views on all aspects of their hospital stay, and extensive patient interviews were conducted for patients undergoing hip replacements.
Customer satisfaction work was also done with surgeons, physicians, carers, and administrators to innovative instrument development for groups wanting to research trends in healthcare like aged care facility development.
An innovative analytic method was also pioneered allowing more meaningful data analysis and powerful inferential testing to take place.
Service alignment in the aged care industry
UltraFeedback conducted in-depth interviews with aged care service providers, consumer groups and aged care consumers to understand the misalignment between services provided, care needs and the current options available.
The research studied 1,000 aged consumers nationally and investigated their self-rated health status was then used as the basis for a workshop run by UltraFeedback at the Australian College of Health Service Executives Annual Conference.
Other health related research projects
We have also developed and manage significant projects for the national Australian General Practice Network and regional GP Divisions, as well as delivering ongoing national and international services for global organisations including Johnson & Johnson Medical and Stryker.
Palliative care research has also been conducted at major teaching hospitals; direct palliative care site experience at Calvary Hospital, Sydney; Mt Olivet Hospital, Brisbane; Bear Cottage, Sydney (part of The Children’s Hospital).
Survey examples