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Puts a Priority on Patient Satisfaction
Location
Indianapolis, IN
Industry
Healthcare
The Challenge
To make parking a positive experience that aligned with the values and goals of Eskenazi Health
The Solution
Parker Technology was utilized to make parking at Eskenazi Health on brand with the high level of service the hospital prioritizes
Eskenazi Health is one of America’s largest safety net health systems, providing care to nearly 1 million outpatient visitors each year. In December 2013, Eskenazi Health opened the Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Hospital. The $750M facility is considered one of the most state-of-the-art facilities in the country and includes a 2700-car, six-level garage that is the second largest in the State of Indiana.
Based in Central Indiana, Eskenazi provides a comprehensive range of primary and specialty care services within their 315-bed hospital and inpatient facilities as well as 11 community health centers located throughout Indianapolis. Their emphasis on a high quality patient experience can be found throughout the entire facility, from its innovative Sky Farm rooftop garden to the large collection of artwork that provides a soothing empathetic experience.
Throughout the design and construction of the new hospital, Eskenazi’s leadership set a standard to be best-in-class for every touch point, including their parking garage, to deliver a quality patient experience.
"At Eskenazi Health, we put a lot of thought into every possible way to improve the patient experience. The introduction of Parker into our parking facilities helps our patients see those smiling faces when they need assistance, providing for much-needed empathy in a parking environment."
Chief Nursing Officer and EVP of Patient Care Services at Eskenazi Health
Challenges Eskenazi Health Faced
CHALLENGE 1
Automation Creates a Loss of Human Interaction
Lee Ann Blue recalls the shift from cashiered tellers to automated equipment to achieve significant cost savings.
“The problem is that discussing a problem on an audio intercom is impersonal. It lacks empathy.” For Eskenazi, it was unacceptable to provide excellent patient experiences in the hospital, but set lower expectations for their garage.
“We needed a way to bring the human touch into our parking facility, because no one likes talking to an intercom,” Blue recounts.
CHALLENGE 2
A Stressful Garage Experience Results in Lower Customer Satisfaction
Stress is a prime factor in dealing with a visit to the hospital. The last thing patients want is a problem getting in or out of the garage.
“Parking is the first and last opportunity we have to interact with our guests,” says Blue. “Every touch point matters – and a face-to-face conversation is the most cost-effective way to turn a negative situation into something positive.”
CHALLENGE 3
The Need for a Consistent Brand Experience
Eskenazi Health went through a brand redesign as part of the launch of the Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Hospital. The organization invested significantly in training to keep the brand and patient experience consistent.
“We want our patients and visitors to feel comfortable and at ease when they visit our facility. Most importantly, we want to see smiling faces here at Eskenazi Health in every interaction,” says Blue.
Audio intercoms fail to meet Eskenazi’s brand experience. Tone of a voice can be misinterpreted, and it is difficult to maintain a high level of customer service from an audio box.
The Solution
Increased Human Interaction: Parker’s video service gave Eskenazi the ability to eliminate the cost of cashiers while still providing an experience that lived up to the higher standard of care.
“Two-way video on our parking equipment creates an instant face-to-face conversation. It’s an easy upgrade from the old-school intercoms other facilities have.” – Lee Ann Blue
Higher Customer Satisfaction: When visitors press the “help” button, Parker’s face-to-face platform, supported by its 24/7/364 call center, ensures that guests are assisted quickly and with empathy.
“Having been in the role of daily visitor to a hospitalized loved one, I can corroborate the importance of an empathetic human voice when things aren’t working as desired. Anything we can do to relieve stress is important.” – Lisa Harris, CEO of Eskenazi Health
Consistent Brand Experience: Eskenazi uses Parker’s call center to handle incoming calls with two-way video. The team is specially trained to handle calls according to Eskenazi’s brand standards.
“The introduction of Parker into our parking facilities helps our patients see those smiling face when they need assistance, providing for much-needed empathy in a parking environment.” – Lee Ann Blue
"Our call center team answers every call and assists each guest as though they were on Eskenazi's staff. From the perspective of the visitor, a member of the Eskenazi staff is there to ensure their needs are being met by someone who cares."
Retired SVP of Business Development
Looking Ahead: A Lasting Partnership
With the support of Parker Technology, Eskenazi Health sets a strong precedent for patient-centered hospitality through every touchpoint.
The team can focus on delivering a high level of customer experience in the hospital, while Parker Technology does the same in the garage.
This partnership with Parker Technology ensures that no matter where a patient or guest is in their journey with Eskenazi Health, they can count on a consistent, human-centered experience.
The introduction of Parker into our parking facilities helps our patients see those smiling faces when they need assistance, providing for much-needed empathy in a parking environment.
Chief Nursing Officer and SVP of Patient Care Services at Eskenazi Health
Learn more about how Parker Technology can give you peace of mind in your facility’s operation
Check out our other case studies about how we’ve assisted similar parking operations, or reach out to our team to get the conversation started.