Quality of Care

[Guest guest]

I posted

this on the other lists that I’m on because this subject is coming up A LOT –

and well, I just couldn’t miss the chance to share my opinion!!!

I don’t

want to butt in here or anything (well, okay, I do – cause here I an doing

it!!! Sorry!) but I work for a

health system. And interestingly

enough, my job title reads, “Patient Satisfaction Survey Coordinator.” Can you believe it? I feel strongly that patients rights

are something that EVERY health facility needs to take extremely

seriously. The group that I work

for bases their physician compensation on patient satisfaction. Pretty brave way of working, but I’m

happy to report – it IS working.

Let me

urge ANY of you who have concerns about the quality of care that you have

received while a patient to write a DETAILED (include names and times if you

can recall the information) letter to the Hospital Administrator. Let them know *particularly* if you had a previous

positive situation, and the areas in which you’ve noticed a marked decline in

the service that they offer.

Believe me, health care institutions know that their patients – by and

large – are able to choose not to utilize their facility, and they are highly

motivated by the bottom line. I

would also highly encourage you to notify the recipient of your letter that you

are part of an e-mail support group that has over – what 1000? – members, and

you’ve made a point to share with them your experiences – and that you’d be

happy to share with them any assurances that they can provide you that quality

of care is important to them, and that they 1) intend to follow-up on your

case, and 2) to receive notification once they have taken steps to make sure

that other patients do not receive the substandard care you received.

Note – I’d

be certain to mark cc’s on the bottom of your letter to the administrator of

your insurance company, your physician, the nursing administrator of that

hospital, as well as their board of directors – and then follow through and

send that letter to those other individuals as well. Be certain to be polite, succinct, and courteous – do not

use profanity, convey anger, or disrespect – you will not be heard if you

do. If you have a response from

the hospital administrator that they’d like to meet you face to face – agree to

do so. Again, be courteous, but

also stress the fact that you know that health care is a consumer-driven field,

and you had hoped to be able to brag about the wonderful care you’d received,

rather than feel the need to warn friends and loved ones from seeking care at

their institution.

Just my

two cents worth. Believe me, if

more people who had substandard care would do this, you’d see a marked improvement

in health care.

dina