Health dept looks to bolster patients' satisfaction survey

Kolkata: To minimise the total duration of a patient's stay in a hospital, the state Health department is planning to make the 'patients' satisfaction survey' more effective at all the district and sub-divisional hospitals.

The state Health department had introduced patients' satisfaction survey in all the hospitals in order to fix the accountability of the doctors, nurses and other para-medical staff. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had also instructed the senior health officials to make the grievance redressal mechanism of patients more effective to ensure better health services. She had laid great stress on improving the quality and range of the healthcare services through the survey conducted at all the district and sub-divisional hospitals.

Under the 'patients' satisfaction survey' scheme, the patients visiting the outpatient departments (OPD) or indoor departments are given a form, where they give a detailed account of their experience in the hospital. They have to furnish the details on how long the patients had to wait at the OPD or in indoor departments to consult a doctor.

The patients are also given an option to mention whether they were satisfied with the overall performance of the doctors and the hospital staff members.

It has been found that in some of the district hospitals, the survey has not been conducted properly. As a result of which, the health officials are contemplating to give some additional power to the District Quality Team to maintain the hospital-wise scores and to send the data to the Health department after their compilation.

The primary object of the Health department was to minimise the incidents of patients' transfer to the city's medical colleges and hospitals from the districts. Senior Health department officials believe that if the method is properly followed, it will decrease the incidents of patients' referral and also fix the responsibility of doctors and medical staff in the hospitals.

The District Quality Team will monitor the feedback of the patients. It will also urge the patients visiting the hospitals to fill up the forms given to them by the hospital to express their thoughts on whether they were happy with the health services.

If the patients are reluctant, they must be convinced by the District Quality Team, or the designated official who is assigned to maintain the quality management of the hospital.

The state Health department may take steps against the defaulters who fail to convince the patients or if the patients refuse to give their feedback.