Patient satisfaction rates indicates quality of UAE healthcare services
FOLLOWING MONTHS OF patient interviews and analysis, GRMC, a specialised company in providing research and business advisory consulting services, have concluded the 2010 patient satisfaction audit for the Health Authority - Abu Dhabi (HAAD), the regulative body of the healthcare sector in the emirate of Abu Dhabi. Work on the campaign commenced
at the turn of 2010 and during the year more than 34,200 patients of hospitals throughout the emirate were interviewed by GRMC, 23, 440 forms were completed and validated
A total 37 hospitals participated in the campaign including remote facilities on Delma Island and other facilities from Gharbia (Western Region), Al Ain and from Abu Dhabi City. The study reported an overall satisfaction rating of 83% for outpatients and 86% for inpatients across all facilities participating. By region, Al Ain scored highest
for overall patient satisfaction in both inpatients (86%) and outpatients (84%) respectively. Comparatively Singapore, a key Asian market ranked high on the HDI (Human Development Index) posted an overall patient satisfaction score of 77% for its inpatients. Overall patient satisfaction score is analyzed against the weighted averages for each of the 40 questions posed during the interview. Simon Lindsey, Managing Partner at
GRMC said: “GRMC used its proprietary statistical models to reveal important inputs for system performance and efficiency, and identified some areas requiring intervention to improve the quality of patient care. The requirements necessary to instill improvement vary, however the greatest impact will be achieved through informing patients of the processes involved. “The large number of respondents
involved was a critical aspect of the study to propose accurate results required
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by the hospital and by inpatient and outpatient departments. The sampling for each hospital department retained a high statistical validity ensuring a minimal margin of error when extrapolated to the total annual patient encounter population,” Lindsey added.
Patient satisfaction itself has been
shown to be influenced by a number of variables, such as waiting time, time spent with physician, clarity of communication, among many others. Priority index analysis indicates that ‘waiting time’ along with the related satisfaction variable ‘comfort of waiting room/area’ scored the highest priority implying that hospital administrators should focus attention towards improvement of these factors. H.E. Eng. Zaid Al Siksek, CEO
of HAAD said: “The skill to satisfy the visiting patient is essential for a variety of reasons. Today’s healthcare consumer seeks value, not just the eminent physicians and facilities. Patients are also becoming more knowledgeable about their medical conditions and healthcare. With the emphasis on transparency and
quality reporting in healthcare, the patient becomes a better informed consumer than ever before. This population is therefore more judicious, knowing exactly what they require.” “Traditionally, the process of managing quality in healthcare entails such activities as measuring outcomes, checking the credential of the provider, auditing clinical activities, and auditing medical records. But, quality care is more than just good outcomes and cost effective processes; it must also give rise to satisfied patients who are loyal to the healthcare organisation.” H.E. added. Patient satisfaction is considered to
be a major indicator in the evaluation and improvement of quality healthcare. It is a widely used instrument by healthcare organisations all over the world to capture a patients’ personal evaluation of care received. Satisfied patients are important for hospitals because they are more likely to continue using health services, comply with medical treatment and maintain the
relationship with a specific healthcare provider. ■
AH
NEWS
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