| Dr J Sivakumaran |
With competition building up in every industry across market segments, business houses realised that to do well, their business models would have to be customer-centric. Customer satisfaction is the key driver to success. Historically, healthcare delivery has been designed as a one-way route. Hospitals, through their professionals, used to provide care and patients received it. Though this was much convenient to the care providers, the patients wanted much more than this and not mere treatment for their ailment. Patients have become very conscious, selective and particular about their rights. Gone are the days when they were passive recipients of healthcare and reposed blind faith in doctors and hospitals. With increased awareness, patients play an active role in the healthcare delivery system. When patients are not in a position to observe, assess and rate the hospital on the technical quality (what patients get) which is beyond their understanding, they try to observe, assess and rate the hospitals on the functional quality (how they get it). The rating will lead to various decisions on patient revisiting, referrals to friends, relatives, participating in community health programmes etc. Hence, it is very important to understand the expectations of the patients. This will enable the service providers to fine-tune their services to match the expectations of the patients.
Expectations from the doctor(s)
Patients generally want their doctor to communicate in their local language. They would not like to wait for a long time before being seen by the doctors but want them to devote time hearing out their problems without any hurry. When someone is sick and anxious, waiting for the doctor can be a harrowing experience. Properly scheduled OPDs can minimise waiting time as only a limited number of patients would be seen by the doctor on a daily basis.
A doctor who cares for patients gains popularity in patient circles. If the doctor could hear calmly what patients say, the satisfaction of the patients will be high. Maintaining eye to eye contact will enhance the confidence level of the patients.
Displaying empathy through words and body language will create a friendly atmosphere. Informed consents and participatory decision making is important. Patients don’t want any decision on treatment to be made unilaterally by the doctor. They are enthusiastic to participate in the decision making process and curious to know the likely anticipated events during and after treatment. A research study concluded that more the knowledge and understanding of procedures a patient is about to undergo, the better will be his cooperation and recovery. Patients want the doctor to be transparent in sharing information about the disease, health conditions, complications, alternative plans, plan of treatment, healing time, precautions etc., to them or to their relatives.
| Doctor interacting with patient | Nurse interacting with patient |
Patients expect their doctor to be competent, thorough in his clinical ability and skills so that psychologically they feel safe. Doctors need to be professional in their approach and should have the ability to perform the promised service dependably and accurately. Prompt and timely activities of the doctor will improve respect for them in the minds of the patients. Whether it is ward rounds, procedure or consultation, timeliness is expected by the patients from their doctor.
Patients want doctors to be receptive about their complications, the pain suffered by them, ailments, discomforts, grievances etc. Doctors need to be good listeners. This quality often is the sole difference between a good doctor and others. Patients don’t want their concerns and complaints to be ignored during the process of treatment. Even if the suffering is mild, they want the doctor to listen and take steps to alleviate the suffering. Patients want the doctor to be a coordinator for their healthcare needs and to contribute in the continuity of care, even after discharge from the hospital. Patients often view their doctor as a god-sent messiah and naturally expect a cure from them for all their ailments.
Expectations from nurse(s)
Patients expect to be respected and treated as human beings rather than being treated as a defective body part. Patients want the nurses to be empathetic and caring. Nurses need to be soft spoken and adept at soft skills. Gossiping and chatting with peers, spending time on personal calls when needed, talking over phone very loudly will irritate the patients and will not enhance the experience. Patients undergo tremendous pain, discomfort and trauma. Nurses are expected to be sensitive about patient needs. Good nursing care will help the patient recover faster.
Like doctors, patients want nurses also to spend more time with them. Patients rely on nurses for guidance, advice, physical and emotional comfort. Nurses should have good listening skills so that patients don’t feel ignored. They are also expected to have technical knowledge and training to operate relevant bio-medical equipment and possess the expertise to manage any kind of emergencies. This will give assurance to the patients that they are in the safe hands during their stay in the hospital. The nursing care in the night shift should be as equivalent as day shift. In a recent study, many patients have complained that they didn’t get adequate care at night. The nurses are expected to be prompt and trustworthy in carrying out their duties and protocols.
Nurses are the caretakers of the patients. Right from linen changing, wash room cleaning, timely diet supply, doctor’s ward visit, diagnostic appointments, arranging surgical/pharmacy items for treatment up to discharge process, there shall be lot of coordination and follow up required with various departments. Hence they are expected to behave as good public relations officer. Nursing profession is a thankless and endless task. Due to acute shortage of manpower, nursing can be a highly stressful profession, as nurses are often called upon to multi-tasks. The real challenge is to efficiently optimise nursing care in the face of constraints, without compromising on patient safety and quality of treatment.
Expectations from hospital(s)
Patients have high expectations from the hospitals, right from infrastructure suitable for a comfortable, safe and infection free stay to quality and hygienic food facilities being provided. It is very important to make the patient leave satisfied, which will bring enormous referrals to the hospital. A satisfied patient will act as an ambassador for the hospital propagating its goodwill in social circles. A disgruntled patient on the other hand can mar the reputation of the hospital.
A safe and clean environment is the core requirement when it comes to the patient expectation from the hospital. Patients want proper signage, easily identifiable access to various departments, and an efficient queuing system right from admission desk to the discharge desk. Digital display system will improve the level of transparency in the administrative system. Another expectation from the patients is Patients Relatives’ Management, which is not given importance. When a patient is in ICU or in OT/recovery, the relatives and friends will be curious to know the condition of the patient. Many a time, update is not given to them and they were ignored. As these friends and relatives are also responsible for choosing a hospital, in the interest of the hospital, it is essential to update the condition of the patient with them. Comfortable waiting facilities for attendants near ICU/OT, provision of snacks/drinks, clean and hygienic drinking water will influence the attendant’s perception about the hospital.
Every patient in a hospital expects an affordable, ethical billing with proper documentation. Unnecessary investigations and over billing will damage the reputation of the hospital. Patients want an estimate of expenses which will not have substantial variation with the final billing. Before deciding a procedure, the details of package, inclusions and exclusions need to be explained to them. This will enable them to mentally prepare for sufficient funds in advance.
Patients require proper information about the hospital, availability of various facilities, details of respective contact persons, billing methodology, tariffs for select services etc. Patients and their family expect to be educated about their disease, do’s and don’ts and training on domicile care. Patients need their enquiries to be answered within the shortest time. Patients expect the service providers to be professionally trained in their respective area of specialisations so that they feel that they are in the safe hands. This industry needs to remember that patient satisfaction is the key to their long term success.