Activity - Patient Satisfaction

Question: Think about times when you or a family member was a patient in a hospital. How did you determine quality care as a patient or family member? How is that different from how you would define quality care as a nurse? Discuss the role of patient satisfaction in evaluating quality care? Answer: As a family member or patient, my role in determining quality care includes to get a best quality care as possible. This can be done by being active in our care, we must work with our doctor and others members of the healthcare team to make decision about our health condition. We must ask questions related to our disease diagnosed, medications, their effects and side effects. We must ask our doctor to give scientific proof before starting the medications and how this treatment will help in curing the disease. We must also search on internet about our health conditions. We must also give feedback to the hospital how much patient time is spend in the waiting room and delay in care and the equal care must be given to every patient. As in quality care as a patient or family member, care must be taken by the patient regarding the treatment given. A patient should take interest in talking to doctor and other healthcare team about their health problem and treatment provided. He/she should give suggestion to hospital in order to improve their quality care like about efficient care must be provided which would be evidence based, safety must be considered first and foremost step before starting treatment and doctor should tell their patient about pros and cons of the treatment. As in quality care as a nurse involves, doctor and other healthcare professional should see patient right away. Patient being treated by the hospital staff in very politely manner and doctor or nurses should spend lot of time with patient and their family members and solve their doubts regarding health. Doctor and nurses should focus more on high quality and evidence based care which leads to save more lives in less time (Centers for Medicare Medicaid, 2014). The need to improve quality care in healthcare industry is increasing. A major component to evaluate quality care is patient satisfaction. Patient satisfaction has many aspects and very challenging to determine. Patient expectations of care and attitudes greatly contribute to patient satisfaction. As previously doctors has focus on the treatment and objective outcomes as a measure of patient satisfaction but patient gives great value on the patient doctor interaction. Aspects regarding patient satisfaction, can helps in evaluating quality care such as patient should be asked during their hospital stay about how often doctor treated you with respect and courtesy, how well doctor listen to patient problems or carefully attend patient query, and how well doctor explain things which patient need to be understand? For each question patient should answer never, sometime, always, and usually. This response from patient helps in evaluating quality care and helps in increasing patient satisfa ction. (Morris, 2013). References: 1. Bulletin of the World Health Organization. (2009, April). 87(4), 245-324.2. Centers for Medicare Medicaid. (2014). Baltimore. https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Quality-Initiatives-Patient-Assessment-Instruments/QualityMeasures/index.html?redirect=/qualitymeasures/03_electronicspecifications.asp.3. Farquhar, M. (2008). Patient Safety and Quality: An Evidence-Based Handbook for Nurses. Rockville.4. Hospital Inpatient Value-Based Purchasing Program. Retrieved from https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2011-05-06/pdf/2011-10568.pdf.5. Morris, J. (2013). Patient Satisfaction: An Emerging Health Policy Issue. American association of orthopaedic surgeon. 9(2).