Join us in celebrating Patient Access Week from March 31 - April 6,2024!

‍Established in 1982, this week honors the vital contributions of patient access professionals. By recognizing their hard work, we show appreciation for their dedication to enhancing guest relations, boosting hospital morale, and improving communications. Throughout the blog, we’ll highlight a couple of ideas to celebrate with your team!

Spread the Word:‍

Consider creating a special newsletter to keep your team updated about the week’s events. In this email, you can extend congratulations, share messages from leadership, and provide an overview of upcoming events.

Inspire from the Top:

Encourage your executive team to participate in the celebrations. Share your vision, express your gratitude, and ignite inspiration through motivational talks. These moments strengthen the bond between leadership and frontline service providers.

Express Gratitude:

It’s the little things that count! Handwritten thank-you notes, desk displays, delicious chocolates or cookies, or versatile gift cards – these tokens of appreciation go a long way in boosting morale and nurturing a culture of gratitude. Let your associates know they are valued and integral to the success of your organization.

Additionally, you can recognize physicians and the office staff that you work with throughout the year. Present them with a recognition certificate with a small token of appreciation. This can be a handwritten note, balloons, or plants (budget permitting), and is a great way to show your gratitude.

Share a Meal:

What's a better way to start the week off than with a delicious breakfast? Indulge your team with muffins, donuts, fresh fruit, coffee, and more! It's the foundation of a week filled with energy, appreciation, and excitement.

Additionally, you can consider snacks throughout the day, a catered lunch, or an ice-cream sundae bar. Sharing a meal fosters bonds that last beyond the festivities. Is your team remote? No worries, you can opt to share a delivery service voucher with them, allowing everyone to join in on the fun! 

Invest in Education:

As the industry continues to grow more complex, it’s imperative to have seasoned, knowledgeable professionals filling Patient Access leadership roles. Not sure where to start? The National Association of Healthcare Access Management (NAHAM) offers two types of certifications to advance Patient Access careers. These include Certified Healthcare Access Associate (CHAA) and Certified Healthcare Access Manager(CHAM).

Learn more about NAHAM Certifications here. 

Games and Activities

Transform your office into a vibrant celebration space with colorful posters, banners, and balloons. Create fun photo backdrops and photo booth props. Share these photos across your organization’s social media to extend joy and appreciation throughout.

Ignite team spirit with engaging activities like scavenger hunts, theme days, and team outings. From dressing up to unraveling mysteries, these activities strengthen the bonds that fuel outstanding customer service.

• Scavenger Hunt: Break your team into groups and organize a scavenger hunt. You can do this virtually or in person!
• Dress up and Theme Days: Let your team vote on themes for the week. Ideas include company colors, pajama day, 60’s theme, movie or TV show themes, sports team day, and more.
• Team Outings: Treat your team to the afternoon or day off. Ideas can include visits to a local theme park, movie theater, Top Golf, sports games, escape rooms, and more. Get creative!
• Team Bonding: Take an hour at the end of the workday to relax and play games to encourage team members to engage with one another.
• Brain Break: Solve puzzles, play bingo, or complete trivia at your desk. This is a great way to include remote employees too. The winners earn a prize.
• Games: Create other activities based on popular TV shows such as Amazing Race, Jeopardy, or Survivor.

For additional ideas, we recommend checking out NAHAM’s list of Games and Activities for Access Week! Their suggestions range from catered lunches, daily trivia, awards, educational seminars, and other community-oriented events.‍

Award Excellence:

Recognize outstanding achievements with certificates and awards. Acknowledge not only performance metrics, but also qualities like teamwork, positivity, leadership, dedication, and outstanding service. Allow team members to nominate those who’ve made a significant impact on the team both internally and externally.

Celebrating Patient Access Week isn’t just about acknowledging your team’s hard work; it’s about fostering a culture of appreciation and encouragement. By nurturing your team’s spirits, you’re not only uplifting their morale, but spreading positive vibes that extend beyond, ultimately enhancing guest relations, boosting hospital morale, and fostering better communication throughout. Here’s to the power of celebration and appreciation!

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