Supporting Patient Centred Care – insights from Melanie Barr, Studer Group Coach
Delivering excellent care isn’t just about clinical outcomes — it’s also about how patients experience that care.
In today’s complex and high-pressure healthcare environment, finding the time, structure, and confidence to deeply listen to patient voices can be difficult — but doing so is essential. Patient feedback is more than a metric. It’s an opportunity: to improve care, build trust, and strengthen outcomes.
We recently asked Melanie, one of our experienced healthcare coaches about how organisations can take practical steps to improve patient experience and outcomes — and here’s what she shared:
What’s one of the most effective ways to understand how patients truly experience care?
“Don’t wait for the survey results. Start small — have proactive, structured conversations with patients while they’re in your care. Ask: What’s going well for you? Is there anything we could do better? It’s the real-time feedback that often creates the biggest change.”
How should teams approach patient feedback and outcome data?
“Look for patterns, not just numbers. Compliments show where your strengths are. Concerns highlight where systems can fail patients. Review feedback as a team and identify areas of focus for care delivery, processes, and priorities.”
What’s a key action leaders can take to support patient-centred care?
“Lead with visibility and curiosity. Address concerns early — when patients feel heard, their anxiety decreases, trust grows, and outcomes improve. Create a culture where it’s everyone’s responsibility to partner in care, through sharing patient stories and linking back to the impact the team’s valued work has on others.”
Our coaches work alongside health services to build structures and habits that make patient-centred care the norm — not the exception. From using feedback loops to redesigning communication touchpoints, we support leaders and teams to close the gap between intention and impact.
If you’d like tools or support to strengthen your patient experience and outcome strategies — or just a conversation to explore what’s possible, please reach out to Contact Us
Studer Group is committed to supporting you in driving positive outcomes and improving healthcare
