Gaps in our healthcare delivery
Are you afraid of going to a hospital
Publish Date: May 28 2014 12:00PM
When it comes to safety in healthcare, the only acceptable goal is zero events of harm and negligence. “Do it Right…the First Time…Every Time..”. The definition of Quality, as it relates to patient rights in healthcare, is conformance to the established requirements or standard of any organization. Unfortunately, value of these indispensable healthcare ideals is appreciated only when you or your loved one is in the midst of a severe illness and you are visiting any hospital.
It is important to know, how good is your doctor and hospital? One of the ways is to inquire whether independent verification - QPS (quality and patient safety) standards - are sought through any national or international accreditation body? One of the requirements for recognition by any national or international accreditation body is its performance indicators on adherence to its policy of patient and family rights. These rights have to be tailored to its available resources, local customs displayed clearly and boldly by the organizational leadership in the languages which local population easily understands at each and every entry point of the hospital. A good hospital displays and does it all along with the staff education on patient and family responsibilities. It may not be out of place to appreciate efforts of Dr. Pirzada Suhail, Dr Jilani, and Dr Nazia - our local representatives of NABSH (National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare) in this direction to implement these standards in certain hospitals. In a Government setup that’s what any ordinary patient would expect from a care provider, while a tech savy patient or any medical professional would expect his/her treatment on the evidence based clinical best practice guidelines and protocols. In a private sector where patients are considered as clients, apprehensions on financial implications are always there. You have the right to know about hospital rules that affect you and your treatment and about charges and payment methods. Though the list of patient rights varies from country to country, most of the rights encompass legal and ethical issues in the provider-patient relationship, including a person's right to privacy. The patient has the right to considerate and respectful care along with recognition of individuality and personal needs. You have the right to expect that the hospital will give you necessary health services to the best of its ability. Every patient has the right to be informed about all the procedures, treatments and/or alternatives to treatments to be performed while in the hospital. This includes the right to know if the hospital proposes to engage in or perform human experimentation or other research/educational projects which may affect the patient's care or treatment.You have the right to know about hospital methodology and resources, such as patient representatives (councilllors, social workers) or ethics committees, that can help you resolve problems, questions and about your hospital stay, staff and care. In case of violation of these rights you have the right to complain through official channels or through OVA (Occurrence, Variation, Accidents ) reporting system - by clearly mentioned contact details on display boards.
Gap Analysis: Everyday, thousands of Valleyites receive healthcare, however, many of us are dissatisfied. Is it because of the overcrowded and unsafe conditions there, or is it the problem of work ethic. Assuredly, most of the care providers are very good. There is a perception in general public that many of us can't get proper medical care unless they carry recommendations (sifarish) from some authority, or may be some physician’s private prescription slip. This need re-institution of trust by introducing “standards of patient and family rights” in hospitals.
Patient and family responsibility: Quality in healthcare is everybody’s responsibility. A smooth working atmosphere in an institution is always a pre requisite to professional compliance. Nobody wants demoralized staff caring for them. Since being ill can make even the most assertive person feel vulnerable we need a little help from the community too. Eliminating disruptive behavior is essential to creating a culture of safety in hospitals. The wiser patients also realize that along with rights, we have responsibilities, too. It's not uncommon for people to react to that stress in a very hostile, aggressive fashion. Compromised standards, lack of clear protocols, sub-standard essentials, spurious drugs and malfunctioning machinery often mean the staff or building or ambulances have to face the wrath of attendants/crowd on streets. Our hospital staff usually makes every effort to treat everyone, as we would like to be treated. Most of our problems arise in expectation zone. Can we actually restore trust by implementing patient rights policy, to have same old faith in the physician’s nobility.
(Dr Fiaz Fazili is Acute Care Surgeon and works as consultant surveyor on Health Care Quality Improvement and Standard)
fiazmfazili @yahoo.com
It is important to know, how good is your doctor and hospital? One of the ways is to inquire whether independent verification - QPS (quality and patient safety) standards - are sought through any national or international accreditation body? One of the requirements for recognition by any national or international accreditation body is its performance indicators on adherence to its policy of patient and family rights. These rights have to be tailored to its available resources, local customs displayed clearly and boldly by the organizational leadership in the languages which local population easily understands at each and every entry point of the hospital. A good hospital displays and does it all along with the staff education on patient and family responsibilities. It may not be out of place to appreciate efforts of Dr. Pirzada Suhail, Dr Jilani, and Dr Nazia - our local representatives of NABSH (National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare) in this direction to implement these standards in certain hospitals. In a Government setup that’s what any ordinary patient would expect from a care provider, while a tech savy patient or any medical professional would expect his/her treatment on the evidence based clinical best practice guidelines and protocols. In a private sector where patients are considered as clients, apprehensions on financial implications are always there. You have the right to know about hospital rules that affect you and your treatment and about charges and payment methods. Though the list of patient rights varies from country to country, most of the rights encompass legal and ethical issues in the provider-patient relationship, including a person's right to privacy. The patient has the right to considerate and respectful care along with recognition of individuality and personal needs. You have the right to expect that the hospital will give you necessary health services to the best of its ability. Every patient has the right to be informed about all the procedures, treatments and/or alternatives to treatments to be performed while in the hospital. This includes the right to know if the hospital proposes to engage in or perform human experimentation or other research/educational projects which may affect the patient's care or treatment.You have the right to know about hospital methodology and resources, such as patient representatives (councilllors, social workers) or ethics committees, that can help you resolve problems, questions and about your hospital stay, staff and care. In case of violation of these rights you have the right to complain through official channels or through OVA (Occurrence, Variation, Accidents ) reporting system - by clearly mentioned contact details on display boards.
Gap Analysis: Everyday, thousands of Valleyites receive healthcare, however, many of us are dissatisfied. Is it because of the overcrowded and unsafe conditions there, or is it the problem of work ethic. Assuredly, most of the care providers are very good. There is a perception in general public that many of us can't get proper medical care unless they carry recommendations (sifarish) from some authority, or may be some physician’s private prescription slip. This need re-institution of trust by introducing “standards of patient and family rights” in hospitals.
Patient and family responsibility: Quality in healthcare is everybody’s responsibility. A smooth working atmosphere in an institution is always a pre requisite to professional compliance. Nobody wants demoralized staff caring for them. Since being ill can make even the most assertive person feel vulnerable we need a little help from the community too. Eliminating disruptive behavior is essential to creating a culture of safety in hospitals. The wiser patients also realize that along with rights, we have responsibilities, too. It's not uncommon for people to react to that stress in a very hostile, aggressive fashion. Compromised standards, lack of clear protocols, sub-standard essentials, spurious drugs and malfunctioning machinery often mean the staff or building or ambulances have to face the wrath of attendants/crowd on streets. Our hospital staff usually makes every effort to treat everyone, as we would like to be treated. Most of our problems arise in expectation zone. Can we actually restore trust by implementing patient rights policy, to have same old faith in the physician’s nobility.
(Dr Fiaz Fazili is Acute Care Surgeon and works as consultant surveyor on Health Care Quality Improvement and Standard)
fiazmfazili @yahoo.com
https://www.greaterkashmir.com/news/gk-magazine/gaps-in-our-healthcare-delivery/170927.html
