Exorbitant prices, long waits, screaming children, harried adults………It seems that hospitals and Disneyworld have more in common than one might think!

The difference, of course, is that consumers willingly choose to go to Disney—in droves. And they often return many times. Why? Because at the end of it all, they feel satisfied with their experiences. That’s not often the case with hospitals.

The wonder-workers at the Magic Kingdom may not ever be able to turn the nation’s health care facilities into “the happiest places on Earth,” but they are hoping to teach beleaguered health care administrators a few swishes of Tinkerbelle’s wand.

A new Disney Institute program called “Building a Culture of Healthcare Excellence” promises to enliven health care leaders with Disney’s “Five Philosophies” of leadership excellence, people management, quality service, brand loyalty, and creativity/innovation.

With dozens of health care rating websites accessible to consumers, and the federal payors linking reimbursement to patient satisfaction, hospitals and clinics are feeling intense pressure to keep their customers happy. Early evidence suggests that those administrators who follow the Way of the Mouse can quickly improve their customer service and their satisfaction ratings.

The Disney Institute cites two childrens’ hospitals, one in Arkansas and one in Florida, that vaulted from the lowest 10 percent on national patient/family satisfaction scores to the highest 10 percent after implementing Disney best practices. A third hospital in California not only improved its satisfaction ratings but saved over $200,000 annually in reduced employee turnover.

No doubt, there will be more success stories in the years to come, and of course we at UpShots are….ahem…all ears.

Thanks to the folks at Fierce Healthcare for tipping us off about this.