Joel George, MBA, MSN, RN, Executive Director of Retail Services, Health Parks & AdventHealth Training Center at AdventHealth explores the critical role hospitality plays in healthcare delivery. He explains how strong patient experience scores and a hospitality-centered approach drive loyalty and trust. George also discusses integrating new technologies to enhance care and maintain high standards in patient engagement.
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Episode Transcript
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(00:00):
This is Laura Dierda with the Becker's Healthcare
podcast.
I'm thrilled today to be joined by Joel
George,
executive director of regional services strategy and operations
at AdventHealth. He focuses on health systems health
parks and really has a lot of cool
innovative things they're doing around the consumer strategy
and and really bringing health care closer to
the patients. So, Joel, I'm excited to have
(00:21):
you on the podcast today.
Thank you, Laura. I appreciate your time, and
I'm excited to talk a little bit about
strategy and operations and experience in what we're
doing at AdventHealth Central Florida.
Perfect. Perfect. Well, you know, I I'm really
excited for,
this conversation because it's so timely. I know
so many health systems are trying to figure
out what their brand strategy is gonna be,
(00:43):
how they're gonna connect with patients, and,
really truly make a difference as the whole
health care industry transforms. So first and foremost,
I was wondering, could you talk a little
bit about what the experience
is strategy means to you in the context
of health care retail services and how the
philosophy shaped your approach at AdventHealth
Park and Training Center?
(01:04):
Yes. So,
when we first, came up with the concept
of AdventHealth,
health parks,
really, what we looked at was a lens
of how do we create a one stop
shop of care,
in one setting where it's embedded where hospitality
is really the focus. And so in my
perspective of experience and strategy,
(01:25):
experience really isn't just a layer that we
add on at the end. It's the architecture
from where we build from. And so even
when we look at planning and design of
our construction of our facilities,
I'm a big believer that the lobby space
is really the first impression of every single
interaction that patients receive when they first,
come into our our our locations. And so
(01:46):
we've gotta create those lobby spaces,
to be, kind of a a wow factor
for patients because that's where consumer loyalty,
comes from. You know, there was actually some
national proof, and it and and it talked
about in in from a Deloitte study that
said that hospitals with a patient experience scores
that are achieve,
4.7%
(02:07):
net margin compared to 1.8 for those with
lower scores specific to their experience. And so,
an example of that in our in our
health parks really was that we designed the
business really around the model of experience as
a product
and didn't just study other hospitals. I think
this is where
a lot of hospital systems kind of,
(02:27):
get in intertwined in terms of figuring out
what is their experience strategy. They've really gotta
start with looking at hospitality centric brands, such
as the Ritz Carlton
and x American Express and Centurion Lounges,
even Michelin star restaurants. I think that when
it comes down to personalization,
they have it down. And so why not
(02:47):
take some of the learnings from there and
embed embed that into health care strategy?
It makes a lot of sense. You know?
And it's really fascinating to hear about the
personalization
aspect of treating patients and how you can
bring that into the health care setting.
From your perspective, how do principles from those
hospitality
and retail industries translate into measurable return on
(03:10):
investment in the health care environment? Can you
share any more specific examples from AdventHealth?
Yeah. So when we built our health parks,
obviously, they're 36,000
square foot to 58,000 square foot facilities that
are really a driver of volume and revenue
to our main hubs, which are our hospitals.
Right?
And when I when I think about, health
(03:32):
parks, having multiple services and specialties in one
building
along with lab, imaging, sports medicine, rehab with
physical therapy,
really, what we want to be is a
hub and spoke model in terms of let
the patient come in for proactive care. Now
if they need to get surgery or radiology
or other things done that are more tertiary
(03:52):
care inside of a, hospital setting, then we,
you know, obviously move them to the hospital
setting.
But, really, on that front end, I think
from a ROI standpoint,
what we're really trying to capture is market
share. And, this is a this is kind
of a thing that is is a big
thing in in hospitals and ambulatory settings right
now is this this tug of war between
(04:14):
where is the patient gonna go, what's the
lowest costing option, but we also need to
figure out, hey. How do we gain market
share by actually creating loyalty to that patient
right from the beginning?
I'm always a believer that hospitality wins trust
and drives trust volume and loyalty and margin.
So,
you know, we design spaces that anticipate unspoken
(04:34):
needs, you know, really looking at how do
we build in coffee shops or concierge greeters
or spa like environments and lighting.
And we study brands such as the Four
Seasons and,
and the Ritz Carlton, something that is really
near and dear to my heart is studying
brands like those,
that come into play because,
I think that if we can learn the
(04:55):
personalization
from the first impression standpoint,
then we've won that patient and we've gained
market share, which also contributes to our ROI.
That makes a lot of sense and is
really kind of a great perspective in terms
of helping you understand
what you really need to do in order
to create that right experience and then figure
out how that comes into,
(05:17):
success of the broader health care system. I
know many health systems are struggling to standardize
the patient experience across their whole facilities.
And I know AdventHealth had several of the
reach of facilities they're working on as well.
So how does AdventHealth integrate that strategy into
a cohesive brand aligned experience across all those
different service touch points?
(05:38):
Yeah. This has been something that we've been,
working on specifically at AdventHealth is
why is it that we have a different
experience when you think about a medical office
building health park standpoint?
When you walk in, you kinda have a
different experience versus going to a ER or
a hospital setting.
It shouldn't be any different. Right? At the
(05:59):
end of the day, they're actually
going into your brand,
at the same in through the same door
and the same funnel. I think standardization
doesn't mean sameness. It means intentional consistency in
the human touch points. And so one of
the things that we really focus on is
looking at our press gaining latest data that
shows that experience variability is the number one
(06:21):
driver in patient dissatisfaction.
Right? And so,
an example of that is, you know, we've
we've created a,
a service standards that are specific to AdventHealth,
and those service standards focus on, loving the
patient. Right? Owning it,
and making sure that we are owning our
experience within the the facility.
And so these things are probably are are
(06:43):
are North Star when it comes to,
creating a choreographic experience for our patients. Every
health park team member in our specific my
specific area is specifically
trained on this script. It's not just a
clinical,
feeling, but it's also emotionally.
We call it, you know, hiring for the
heart. And, and that's one thing that we're
(07:03):
really focused on right now is the way
to standardize these approaches is by making sure
that we're hiring the right people and training
them on concierge level and hospitality,
aspects to make sure that they understand that
that is what's gonna win over the consumer.
We've also brought in, you know, luxury hospitality
consultants.
(07:24):
When we first opened up our health park
in 2020 in part in settlement, one of
the things that I was really big about
was, after traveling the world a lot and
kind of seeing where hotels are going from
a concierge experience,
I always always love the fact that when
you walk into a hotel, they kind of
know you by name. They know what your
(07:44):
preferences are. That shouldn't be any different in
health care. And so how do we bring
those kind of approaches into,
a health care setting? And so we hired
and we brought in, you know, people like
the Ritz Carlton, and we we brought them
in. And some of the managers came in
and talked to some of our team members
on what that means and what that looks
like. And I think that's been something that's
been really focused,
(08:05):
and and been very great for us in
terms of our experience.
That's cool to hear. And, you know, what
a great, ability to go and see some
of the other industries and bring that into
what you're doing at AdventHealth.
Now what role does technology play in the
retail experience at the health system, and how
does it really enhance satisfaction and loyalty among
(08:26):
patients, visitors, as well as staff?
Yeah. So technology for us has been something
that we've been constantly iterating on. And so,
when it when it comes to technology, I
do believe that there is a technology and,
component to health care, but the humanistic side
of health care to me will never go
away. And I think that it the technology
(08:48):
has to be kind of like the invisible
concierge,
where we anticipate and not just transact with
patients. You know, there was a a study
that was done that said that 60% of
consumers say digital convenience
determines where their where they would get care.
Right? Even more than cost.
And so,
I think our digital front door net needs
(09:09):
to be embedded with technology that is easy.
Appointment reminders are one one easy way of
doing that. Right? And, also,
scheduling first first,
scheduling mobile, on your digital phone and and
your and your cell phone, being able to
do it like the OpenTable concept too as
well. Those are the the triggers that, create,
(09:31):
instant feedback loops for patients too as well.
And so
beyond that, I think that the way that
we
we embed digital technology is to extend hospitality
beyond the building. You know, one thing that
I think is very important from a loyalty
standpoint even with technology is extending, you know,
gratitude text messages or follow-up care tips and
(09:52):
wellness reminders.
And so I think those are the areas
that we need to focus on in in
terms of how we embed technology.
You know, I I I always believe that
if bricks build trust, then digital builds loyalty.
And together, they create belonging in a health
care system.
(10:12):
I love that saying. That's so true and
really such an interesting perspective and way to
look at things in the lens of the
health care space. Before we wrap up here,
how should health systems adapt their environments and
services to meet these evolving expectation?
You know, I think we have to look
at the, the next generation of the consumer
(10:33):
that is consuming health care in the future.
I always tell,
a lot of my colleagues the same thing
is who are we building health care for?
If we look at the baby boomer,
demographic, you know, that is something that is
it's a it's a big,
population of our demographic.
But we also have a lot of our
generations that are coming up that want convenient,
(10:56):
and
and,
convenient care in one specific location. And so
I think the next generation isn't really loyal
to a provider. They're more loyal to a
how a place makes them feel. And so
how are we actually designing and building our
facilities to make them feel like they wanna
be there?
You know, retail health care spend in in
(11:18):
is gonna be, I think, surpassing about $6,000,000,000
in 2030,
and it's fueled really by convenience and accessibility
and experience. And so at our health parks,
I think we when we think about how
we design them, well, they have more of
a Apple store feel than a hospital.
And I've I've specifically want that because in
the in in terms of other next generation,
(11:39):
the consumer, it's really my kids that are
gonna be, consuming health care in the future.
And I think that from looking at how
they're growing up too as well, convenience is
such a big thing for them. Right? And
so we've gotta start collocating our services with
lifestyle partners,
fitness studios, and wellness cafes, and,
you know, even financial planning in the future
(11:59):
too as well. And because there are a
lot of the younger people now that are
driven to figure out what does that look
like for them in their future too as
well. And so
I do believe that health care is isn't
just being disrupted.
It's really being redesigned, and the systems that
will win will feel less like clinics and
more like trusted hosts.
(12:20):
Well, it's fascinating to hear. Joel, thank you
so much for joining us on the podcast
today. This has been such a fun conversation.
I feel like I've learned a ton, from
you and what you're doing at AdventHealth and
just look forward to connecting with you in
the future.
Really appreciate it. Thank you so much.
This is Laura Dierda with the Becker's Healthcare
podcast.
I'm thrilled today to be joined by Joel
George,
executive director of regional services strategy and operations
at AdventHealth. He focuses on health systems health
parks and really has a lot of cool
innovative things they're doing around the consumer strategy
and and really bringing health care closer to
the patients. So, Joel, I'm excited to have
(00:21):
you on the podcast today.
Thank you, Laura. I appreciate your time, and
I'm excited to talk a little bit about
strategy and operations and experience in what we're
doing at AdventHealth Central Florida.
Perfect. Perfect. Well, you know, I I'm really
excited for,
this conversation because it's so timely. I know
so many health systems are trying to figure
out what their brand strategy is gonna be,
(00:43):
how they're gonna connect with patients, and,
really truly make a difference as the whole
health care industry transforms. So first and foremost,
I was wondering, could you talk a little
bit about what the experience
is strategy means to you in the context
of health care retail services and how the
philosophy shaped your approach at AdventHealth
Park and Training Center?
(01:04):
Yes. So,
when we first, came up with the concept
of AdventHealth,
health parks,
really, what we looked at was a lens
of how do we create a one stop
shop of care,
in one setting where it's embedded where hospitality
is really the focus. And so in my
perspective of experience and strategy,
(01:25):
experience really isn't just a layer that we
add on at the end. It's the architecture
from where we build from. And so even
when we look at planning and design of
our construction of our facilities,
I'm a big believer that the lobby space
is really the first impression of every single
interaction that patients receive when they first,
come into our our our locations. And so
(01:46):
we've gotta create those lobby spaces,
to be, kind of a a wow factor
for patients because that's where consumer loyalty,
comes from. You know, there was actually some
national proof, and it and and it talked
about in in from a Deloitte study that
said that hospitals with a patient experience scores
that are achieve,
4.7%
(02:07):
net margin compared to 1.8 for those with
lower scores specific to their experience. And so,
an example of that in our in our
health parks really was that we designed the
business really around the model of experience as
a product
and didn't just study other hospitals. I think
this is where
a lot of hospital systems kind of,
(02:27):
get in intertwined in terms of figuring out
what is their experience strategy. They've really gotta
start with looking at hospitality centric brands, such
as the Ritz Carlton
and x American Express and Centurion Lounges,
even Michelin star restaurants. I think that when
it comes down to personalization,
they have it down. And so why not
(02:47):
take some of the learnings from there and
embed embed that into health care strategy?
It makes a lot of sense. You know?
And it's really fascinating to hear about the
personalization
aspect of treating patients and how you can
bring that into the health care setting.
From your perspective, how do principles from those
hospitality
and retail industries translate into measurable return on
(03:10):
investment in the health care environment? Can you
share any more specific examples from AdventHealth?
Yeah. So when we built our health parks,
obviously, they're 36,000
square foot to 58,000 square foot facilities that
are really a driver of volume and revenue
to our main hubs, which are our hospitals.
Right?
And when I when I think about, health
(03:32):
parks, having multiple services and specialties in one
building
along with lab, imaging, sports medicine, rehab with
physical therapy,
really, what we want to be is a
hub and spoke model in terms of let
the patient come in for proactive care. Now
if they need to get surgery or radiology
or other things done that are more tertiary
(03:52):
care inside of a, hospital setting, then we,
you know, obviously move them to the hospital
setting.
But, really, on that front end, I think
from a ROI standpoint,
what we're really trying to capture is market
share. And, this is a this is kind
of a thing that is is a big
thing in in hospitals and ambulatory settings right
now is this this tug of war between
(04:14):
where is the patient gonna go, what's the
lowest costing option, but we also need to
figure out, hey. How do we gain market
share by actually creating loyalty to that patient
right from the beginning?
I'm always a believer that hospitality wins trust
and drives trust volume and loyalty and margin.
So,
you know, we design spaces that anticipate unspoken
(04:34):
needs, you know, really looking at how do
we build in coffee shops or concierge greeters
or spa like environments and lighting.
And we study brands such as the Four
Seasons and,
and the Ritz Carlton, something that is really
near and dear to my heart is studying
brands like those,
that come into play because,
I think that if we can learn the
(04:55):
personalization
from the first impression standpoint,
then we've won that patient and we've gained
market share, which also contributes to our ROI.
That makes a lot of sense and is
really kind of a great perspective in terms
of helping you understand
what you really need to do in order
to create that right experience and then figure
out how that comes into,
(05:17):
success of the broader health care system. I
know many health systems are struggling to standardize
the patient experience across their whole facilities.
And I know AdventHealth had several of the
reach of facilities they're working on as well.
So how does AdventHealth integrate that strategy into
a cohesive brand aligned experience across all those
different service touch points?
(05:38):
Yeah. This has been something that we've been,
working on specifically at AdventHealth is
why is it that we have a different
experience when you think about a medical office
building health park standpoint?
When you walk in, you kinda have a
different experience versus going to a ER or
a hospital setting.
It shouldn't be any different. Right? At the
(05:59):
end of the day, they're actually
going into your brand,
at the same in through the same door
and the same funnel. I think standardization
doesn't mean sameness. It means intentional consistency in
the human touch points. And so one of
the things that we really focus on is
looking at our press gaining latest data that
shows that experience variability is the number one
(06:21):
driver in patient dissatisfaction.
Right? And so,
an example of that is, you know, we've
we've created a,
a service standards that are specific to AdventHealth,
and those service standards focus on, loving the
patient. Right? Owning it,
and making sure that we are owning our
experience within the the facility.
And so these things are probably are are
(06:43):
are North Star when it comes to,
creating a choreographic experience for our patients. Every
health park team member in our specific my
specific area is specifically
trained on this script. It's not just a
clinical,
feeling, but it's also emotionally.
We call it, you know, hiring for the
heart. And, and that's one thing that we're
(07:03):
really focused on right now is the way
to standardize these approaches is by making sure
that we're hiring the right people and training
them on concierge level and hospitality,
aspects to make sure that they understand that
that is what's gonna win over the consumer.
We've also brought in, you know, luxury hospitality
consultants.
(07:24):
When we first opened up our health park
in 2020 in part in settlement, one of
the things that I was really big about
was, after traveling the world a lot and
kind of seeing where hotels are going from
a concierge experience,
I always always love the fact that when
you walk into a hotel, they kind of
know you by name. They know what your
(07:44):
preferences are. That shouldn't be any different in
health care. And so how do we bring
those kind of approaches into,
a health care setting? And so we hired
and we brought in, you know, people like
the Ritz Carlton, and we we brought them
in. And some of the managers came in
and talked to some of our team members
on what that means and what that looks
like. And I think that's been something that's
been really focused,
(08:05):
and and been very great for us in
terms of our experience.
That's cool to hear. And, you know, what
a great, ability to go and see some
of the other industries and bring that into
what you're doing at AdventHealth.
Now what role does technology play in the
retail experience at the health system, and how
does it really enhance satisfaction and loyalty among
(08:26):
patients, visitors, as well as staff?
Yeah. So technology for us has been something
that we've been constantly iterating on. And so,
when it when it comes to technology, I
do believe that there is a technology and,
component to health care, but the humanistic side
of health care to me will never go
away. And I think that it the technology
(08:48):
has to be kind of like the invisible
concierge,
where we anticipate and not just transact with
patients. You know, there was a a study
that was done that said that 60% of
consumers say digital convenience
determines where their where they would get care.
Right? Even more than cost.
And so,
I think our digital front door net needs
(09:09):
to be embedded with technology that is easy.
Appointment reminders are one one easy way of
doing that. Right? And, also,
scheduling first first,
scheduling mobile, on your digital phone and and
your and your cell phone, being able to
do it like the OpenTable concept too as
well. Those are the the triggers that, create,
(09:31):
instant feedback loops for patients too as well.
And so
beyond that, I think that the way that
we
we embed digital technology is to extend hospitality
beyond the building. You know, one thing that
I think is very important from a loyalty
standpoint even with technology is extending, you know,
gratitude text messages or follow-up care tips and
(09:52):
wellness reminders.
And so I think those are the areas
that we need to focus on in in
terms of how we embed technology.
You know, I I I always believe that
if bricks build trust, then digital builds loyalty.
And together, they create belonging in a health
care system.
(10:12):
I love that saying. That's so true and
really such an interesting perspective and way to
look at things in the lens of the
health care space. Before we wrap up here,
how should health systems adapt their environments and
services to meet these evolving expectation?
You know, I think we have to look
at the, the next generation of the consumer
(10:33):
that is consuming health care in the future.
I always tell,
a lot of my colleagues the same thing
is who are we building health care for?
If we look at the baby boomer,
demographic, you know, that is something that is
it's a it's a big,
population of our demographic.
But we also have a lot of our
generations that are coming up that want convenient,
(10:56):
and
and,
convenient care in one specific location. And so
I think the next generation isn't really loyal
to a provider. They're more loyal to a
how a place makes them feel. And so
how are we actually designing and building our
facilities to make them feel like they wanna
be there?
You know, retail health care spend in in
(11:18):
is gonna be, I think, surpassing about $6,000,000,000
in 2030,
and it's fueled really by convenience and accessibility
and experience. And so at our health parks,
I think we when we think about how
we design them, well, they have more of
a Apple store feel than a hospital.
And I've I've specifically want that because in
the in in terms of other next generation,
(11:39):
the consumer, it's really my kids that are
gonna be, consuming health care in the future.
And I think that from looking at how
they're growing up too as well, convenience is
such a big thing for them. Right? And
so we've gotta start collocating our services with
lifestyle partners,
fitness studios, and wellness cafes, and,
you know, even financial planning in the future
(11:59):
too as well. And because there are a
lot of the younger people now that are
driven to figure out what does that look
like for them in their future too as
well. And so
I do believe that health care is isn't
just being disrupted.
It's really being redesigned, and the systems that
will win will feel less like clinics and
more like trusted hosts.
(12:20):
Well, it's fascinating to hear. Joel, thank you
so much for joining us on the podcast
today. This has been such a fun conversation.
I feel like I've learned a ton, from
you and what you're doing at AdventHealth and
just look forward to connecting with you in
the future.
Really appreciate it. Thank you so much.
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