Group Head - Service Excellence and Patient Care Services

The Head - Service Excellence will be a pivotal leader responsible for developing, implementing, and sustaining a culture of service excellence across all the business units of Sterling Hospitals in Gujarat. This role will champion patient-centricity, drive continuous improvement in patient care services, Standard Operating procedures (SOPs), Technology transformation, Continuous process improvements and ensure a consistently positive and high-quality experience for all patients and their families. The Head - Service Excellence will work collaboratively with clinical and non-clinical leadership to embed service standards, monitor performance, and foster a patient-first mindset throughout the organization.

Strategic Leadership & Vision (Strategy Development and Implementation)

• Define and Execute Strategy: Develop, champion, and execute a unified, high-impact Service Excellence and Patient Experience strategy across all six Sterling Hospitals units, ensuring direct alignment with the hospital groups overall mission, vision, and commercial objectives.
• Set Global Standards: Establish, standardize, and institutionalize clear service protocols, best practices, and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for all patient-facing and critical support functions, ensuring adherence to national/international quality standards (e.g., NABH, JCI).
• Optimize the Patient Journey: Systematically map and prioritize key patient experience touchpoints (e.g., admission, discharge, clinical communication) and lead cross-functional initiatives to design, innovate, and optimize the end-to-end patient journey for maximum convenience, transparency, and comfort.

. Digital Transformation & Innovation

• Lead Digital Patient Experience: Drive the digital transformation of the patient experience in collaboration with the Technology Department. This includes the strategic deployment and continuous evolution of a unified digital patient platform (e.g., mobile app/portal) for features like online scheduling, virtual check-in, secure records access, and patient-to-care-team communication.
• Leverage Advanced Analytics: Implement and utilize Artificial Intelligence and advanced analytics for real-time patient feedback analysis, predicting potential service issues, personalizing patient communication, and triggering immediate operational improvements.
• Expand Service Reach: Oversee the implementation and expansion of telehealth services and remote monitoring tools to extend the hospital's reach and ensure continuity of high-quality care, making technology a seamless enabler for a superior patient experience.

. Driving a Patient-Centric Culture & Capability

• Champion Cultural Change: Act as the principal champion for a patient-centric culture, ensuring that patient needs and empathetic care are the fundamental drivers for all operational and strategic decisions across the organization.
• Design & Deliver Training: Design, implement, and oversee comprehensive, continuous service excellence training programs focused on enhancing employee empathy, effective communication, soft skills, and patient interaction techniques for all clinical, nursing, and non-clinical staff.
• Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Promote a collaborative and interdisciplinary approach to patient care, working closely with clinical and non-clinical department heads to ensure seamless coordination and joint ownership of service quality.
• Recognize and Reward: Establish and manage a visible, impactful recognition and rewards program to acknowledge and reinforce exceptional service behaviors and outcomes demonstrated by individuals and teams.

Performance Monitoring, Feedback & Resolution

• Define and Track KPIs: Establish and rigorously monitor Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to measure and benchmark service excellence and patient satisfaction across all units. Key metrics include:
• Patient Experience NPS and detailed Satisfaction Scores (e.g., communication, responsiveness, facility standards).
• Complaint Resolution Rate and Turnaround Time (TAT).
• Quality and Outcome Indicators (e.g., ALOS, Readmission Rates).
• Cleanliness and Hygiene Index adherence to the service standards.
• Manage Feedback & Root Cause Analysis: Lead the implementation and active management of all patient feedback mechanisms (e.g., real-time surveys, focus groups). Drive Root Cause Analysis (RCA) for service failures and complaints, translating insights directly into actionable improvement plans.
• Grievance Redressal Oversight: Oversee the robust, timely, and empathetic resolution of all patient and family complaints and grievances, ensuring proactive communication and maintaining a high-level tracking and escalation mechanism.

Stakeholder Engagement & Team Leadership

• C-Suite & Operational Alignment: Serve as the Voice of the Patient within the executive leadership team, collaborating closely with C-suite and department heads across all six units to embed service excellence principles into daily operations and resource allocation.
• Team Leadership: Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing central Patient Experience/Service Excellence team (including Patient Relations, Front Office, and Concierge staff), setting clear performance targets and fostering continuous professional development.
• External Relations: Build and maintain strong relationships with external stakeholders, including patient advocacy groups, regulatory bodies, and industry peers to benchmark performance and influence best practices.
• Policy & Compliance: Develop and review patient-related policies and procedures to ensure they are patient-friendly, ethical, and fully compliant with all relevant local and international regulatory requirements.

Desired Profile

Bachelors degree in healthcare administration, Business Administration, or a related field. A master’s degree is preferred.

Minimum of 12-18 years of progressive experience in healthcare, with a significant focus on service excellence and patient experience improvement.

Proven track record of successfully developing and implementing service excellence strategies across multiple locations or large healthcare systems.

Strong understanding of patient satisfaction measurement methodologies, data analysis, and performance improvement techniques.

Excellent communication, interpersonal, and presentation skills, with the ability to influence and engage stakeholders at all levels.

Demonstrated leadership abilities, including the ability to motivate and inspire teams.

Strong problem-solving and decision-making skills.

Familiarity with relevant healthcare regulations and quality standards.

Experience in process improvement methodologies (e.g., Lean, Six Sigma) is an advantage