Zhang Qiang Doctor Group Appoints China's First 'Patient Experience Officer': Innovation or Publicity Stunt?

Recently, the official WeChat account of the Zhang Qiang Doctor Group published a recruitment notice, publicly hiring China’s first “Patient Experience Officer” from across society. The announcement immediately sparked heated discussion within the medical community. Many expressed curiosity about this role, whose primary responsibilities involve “finding fault” and “identifying flaws.” Some hailed it as an innovative move to transform the healthcare ecosystem, while others questioned whether it was merely a publicity stunt.

Dr. Zhang Qiang, founder of the Dr. Zhang Qiang Physician Group, has paid little heed to the mixed reviews. In his view, regardless of external commentary, his goal remains clear: to find someone who truly voices patients’ concerns—a person who could well drive transformation in healthcare services and even emerge as a disruptor.

Zhang Qiang explained that the primary responsibilities of the “Patient Experience Officer,” a role established by the physician group, are to evaluate medical care processes and track patient experience feedback. This officer must not only personally engage in every stage of the care journey but also maintain ongoing communication with patients to understand their perspectives and listen to their concerns. Additionally, she is responsible for conducting follow-up visits, observing the entire patient experience, and providing recommendations for improvement.

“We hope that patient experience officers will focus on every detail of medical safety and the patient experience. No matter how minor the issue they uncover, how complex the operational process, or how cumbersome the involved steps, if they believe it affects the patient experience, we encourage them to raise it immediately. Our goal is to ensure patients enjoy a comfortable healthcare experience with 360-degree, comprehensive care.”

Zhang Qiang stated that the physician group aims to prioritize patient experience above all else. To this end, dedicated positions will be established to oversee every aspect of medical care involving safety and convenience. “In plain terms, this role is meant to ‘pick holes’ in the physician group’s operations: on one hand, providing feedback on medical processes; on the other, serving as a liaison with patients to ensure physicians understand their perspectives. Any flaws in the patient experience identified by patients will be reported to the physician group for subsequent adjustment and improvement.”

What issues is this “fault-finder” actually tasked with identifying? Zhang Qiang cited several examples: “For instance, doctors’ fingernails are not kept short, the lighting in patient rooms lacks warmth, billing items are unclear or even raise suspicions of over-treatment, pain management outcomes for patients are suboptimal, and patient privacy is not adequately protected. All of these areas warrant the attention of patient experience officers.”

In his view, a Patient Experience Officer must be utterly intolerant of even the slightest flaw. From the management philosophy of physician groups down to the trivial placement of everyday items, no detail can be overlooked. She must serve as the “voice of patients,” the “inspector of physicians,” and the “cleaner of hospitals.”

Zhang Qiang believes that establishing the role of Patient Experience Officer is conducive to the development of physician groups, as it provides access to the most critical and needed information. Meanwhile, continuously improving service quality will also deliver greater value to patients.

“Her performance is evaluated by the same criteria: the more meaningful issues she identifies, the more effective patient feedback she conveys, and the greater her contribution to process improvement and enhancement, the more valuable she becomes.” Zhang Qiang believes that, as a Patient Experience Officer represents patients’ interests, she must advocate for them without hesitation or reservation.

For China’s healthcare industry, the concept of a “Patient Experience Officer” remains largely unfamiliar. Zhang Qiang stated that the emergence of physician groups aims to provide patients with higher-quality medical services and a more comfortable care experience; however, for a long time, the experiences of patients, as “users,” have been overlooked in the healthcare sector. Moreover, if one undertakes this endeavor, it must be executed to the utmost degree of excellence.

“In the past, nearly all medical practices and clinical workflows were designed with hospitals and physicians at the center, rather than being patient-centered. While this approach largely facilitated physicians’ work, it overlooked patients’ experiences. As a result, patients suffered from poor healthcare experiences and unmet needs: it was commonplace for patients to queue for hours in the middle of the night to register at major hospitals; due to the overwhelming patient volume, doctors also struggled to remain patient with every individual. Although the situation has been gradually improving with the adoption of the internet and new technologies, these advancements remain far from sufficient for patients.”

With over 20 years of clinical practice, Dr. Zhang Qiang is well aware that patients often find themselves in a relatively vulnerable position during medical consultations. Even if they encounter unpleasant experiences or observe issues, they may hesitate to voice their concerns to physicians due to fear of causing trouble, social awkwardness, or worry about potentially affecting their treatment. “Patients may harbor ten complaints, but they might only express one—and that one is often the most trivial. As a result, we miss out on the other nine, which could offer valuable insights crucial to the development of our physician group.”

He believes that the cost of addressing these shortcomings in the pursuit of high-quality healthcare would be prohibitively high. If there were an intermediary and conduit, patients might be more willing to point out these loopholes, with the intermediary then relaying the feedback to the physician group. On the other hand, a Patient Experience Officer can offer insights from the patient’s perspective. “If we can make continuous improvements based on these issues, we can avoid many potential losses and risks. Therefore, the value of a Patient Experience Officer is immeasurable.”

Since the inception of the physician group, Zhang Qiang’s goal has been to align with international standards and embrace advanced concepts from foreign healthcare systems, with the role of Patient Experience Officer being no exception. Although the concept of a Patient Experience Officer is quite novel in China’s healthcare industry, the practice of prioritizing patient experience has long been well-established abroad.

In 2006, the Cleveland Clinic, a top-tier U.S. hospital, took the lead nationwide by establishing an “Office of Patient Experience,” making “patient experience” its primary strategic priority. In 2007, it appointed its first Chief Experience Officer (CXO), with the aim of enhancing the patient experience at the hospital. The institution believes that being number one requires not only world-class clinical care but also attention to patients’ experiences during their medical visits, including physical comfort, understanding of their condition, and emotional and spiritual needs.

Since its establishment, the Office of Patient Experience has launched various initiatives and services, including: a Patient Survey Data Management and Analysis Department, responsible for collecting patient feedback, analyzing it, and proposing improvement measures; and the H.E.A.R.T. Communication Program, which provides standardized training on doctor-patient communication for hospital staff. According to a widely circulated online quality and safety report from Cleveland Clinic, even the quietness of hospital wards at night is an extremely important aspect of the patient experience.

Additionally, Dr. Toby Cosgrove, CEO of Cleveland Clinic, has stated that the hospital reduces patients’ fear and enhances their experience by incorporating art installations, providing open access to electronic medical records, and issuing uniforms in different colors for healthcare staff with different roles.

However, unlike the Cleveland Clinic, Dr. Zhang Qiang Doctor Group has consistently adhered to an asset-light strategy, adopting a PHP (Professional Hospital Partnership) model for its physicians and hospitals. Under this model, physicians and hospitals establish a partnership characterized by equal collaboration rather than an employer-employee relationship. In this regard, Dai Lian, COO of Huakang Mobile Healthcare, believes that although doctor groups do not own physical hospitals, their medical care processes are standardized and well-defined, leading to more tangible improvements in patient experience.

Another difference is that the CXO at Cleveland Clinic is a surgeon who continues to perform clinical work in addition to serving the Office of Patient Experience; however, the candidate sought by Dr. Zhang Qiang Medical Group must be fully dedicated to patient experience initiatives.

Dai Lian also offered her own recommendations for suitable candidates, suggesting that the ideal person could be someone with experience in healthcare process management, a professional from another industry with expertise in process management and quality control, an individual with user experience background in the service sector, or even a patient representative with a strong commitment to improving the patient care experience.

Will Patient Experience Officers increase the workload pressure on physicians? Zhang Qiang does not think so. He stated that the more excellent a physician is, the more they would welcome feedback regarding issues and shortcomings in their practice, as this enables continuous improvement and further excellence. “The Physician Group has fostered a culture in which all physicians place great emphasis on negative feedback, as they are committed to providing patients with more valuable and compassionate care.”

In fact, the concept of “service” has been increasingly valued by forward-thinking professionals in the healthcare industry. Xu Yucai, Deputy Director of the Health and Family Planning Bureau of Shanyang County, Shaanxi Province, strongly endorses the concept of a “Patient Experience Officer.”

He believes that the quality of medical services should be evaluated by customers, namely patients. Under the current system, public hospitals provide overly extensive and imprecise services, lacking the initiative to drive change. Patient evaluations conducted by some hospitals are largely motivated by pressure from accreditation reviews, raising concerns about their underlying motives. “The development of physician groups must prioritize patients. Physician groups represent a viable pathway for physicians toward independent practice and will also significantly promote improvements in service philosophy and quality within public hospitals.”

Miao Xiaohui, former Deputy Director of Changzheng Hospital affiliated with the Second Military Medical University and current Chief Medical Officer of Rich Healthcare Group, who possesses dual management experience in both public and private hospitals, also highly affirms the Zhang Qiang Doctor Group’s dedication to “putting considerable thought” into patient services. He believes that patient experience should not be differentiated by “public” versus “private” sectors; instead, it requires observation from a third-party perspective and continuous improvement. He stated that Rich Healthcare’s checkup services also place great emphasis on patient feedback and conduct patient experience surveys.

However, Miao Xiaohui also believes that managers’ self-awareness is crucial. “Managers must be able to identify and resolve issues as they arise. Overcoming inertia and improving the overall management level of the industry are critical; otherwise, old problems will recur in a vicious cycle, and even new problems may emerge.”

As a pioneer of innovative healthcare in public hospitals, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital established the “Patient Committee” in 2014 to provide recommendations for the hospital’s development. Upon seeing the recruitment announcement from the Zhang Qiang Doctor Group, Chen Lei, Director of Marketing and Patient Experience at Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, posted on her WeChat Moments: “The concept of patient experience will be increasingly valued by more medical institutions in China, not only in the private sector but also in public hospitals. Our experience in building a patient experience system over the past two years has shown that the focus on patient experience has far surpassed traditional patient services in public hospitals. Although public hospitals face various challenges in implementation due to systemic constraints, their goals align with those of private institutions. While progress may need to be phased, public hospitals also have their own opportunities for innovation. This is an inevitable trend.”

Chen Lei’s reflections may represent a trend in healthcare services, but in Zhang Qiang’s view, the appointment of China’s first Patient Experience Officer is merely a small step for the Doctor Group in practicing its “patient-first” philosophy. He hopes, however, that this small step by the Doctor Group can drive a giant leap in medical reform: “For hospitals, traditional care processes may consequently undergo changes, with patients increasingly regarded as the central focus of services. To accommodate the diverse and ever-evolving needs of patients, physicians may also rely more heavily on the development of the internet and the Internet of Things (IoT). More proactive and extensive applications could even catalyze a transformation in future medicine.”