uality, from the point of view of an asthma patient since the age of 8 months, and as a mother of two small little girls, is a vital function in any healthcare organization, which standards should always be met and excelled. It means the difference between walking away from a disease, symptom- free and in health; or developing a disability, or even death.Whether it is a visit to your local practitioner, a visit to your specialist, visiting a love one at the hospital, or being treated in the emergency room, they all have lives at stake.
Quality measures in healthcare organizations have the highest level of responsibilities to those they treat and those they see. Quality should be seen, not just perceived. What I mean by this, is that “quality” is not just seeing white coats around me, or achievements awards on the wall, or sassy new lobby, it means to receive an accurate diagnosis, and effective and efficient treatment to that diagnosis.
Quality means seeing the hospital spotless, germ free - or at least with the highest level of patient safety protocol which the facility implements and controls consistently.
Quality means innovative and necessary equipment which facilitate and speeds the diagnostic process.
Quality means that I don’t have to fear going to take my daughter for an annual visit, because measures are in place and followed to avoid leaving with my daughter infected.
Quality means being treated not like a “file” but as a human being that needs help from those that are the experts.
Quality is seeing a medical staff or an administrative staff go above and beyond their level of duty to insure that my needs and expectations are being met and exceeded so that I can heal and recover faster.
But most of all quality to me means commitment and trust. Commitment that those entrusted with my life or the lives of love one take pride on the service they provide - tells me the facts and facilitates ways to improve health vs. just prescribing pills.
-Emelie Bahamonde
You seem to have a lot of passion about the healthcare in which you and your daughter receive. I definitely agree with you that it doesn't matter what degrees, certificates, or awards a physician has hanging in his/her office. These tell us nothing about the care and accuracy they provide for their patients. Each person should feel special and important and feel as though their physician has the time to sit with them and answering all questions. Sometimes it feels as though doctors are in a rush and don't take the extra minute or two to make a patient feel comfortable.
ReplyDeleteYou state that you want to be seen as a human being, not just a ‘file’. That is a very profound statement and it really made me think about the experiences I have had with the doctors that I see and my children see. I don’t feel that I have a personal relationship with any of the doctors that I currently see. I would have to say that I feel more comfortable with my dentist than I do with my primary care doctor. I do not get sick often, so it is hard to develop a good relationship with a doctor you only see once a year for a checkup.
ReplyDeleteHowever, the pediatrician that my daughters see happens to be the pediatrician that I saw when I was a child. Dr. Hutto always spends a significant amount of time asking my oldest daughter how school and soccer is going. She speaks to me like a friend, not a stranger. When I had Addison six months ago, she seemed so excited that she would get to be her doctor as well. She held her and talked to her like she was a member of her own family. She never seems like she is in a rush to get to the next patient and she is very through in her examinations with her. It is so comforting to know that she really cares about my girls and wants the best for them.
Emelie I think you did a great job at describing an high quality healthcare environment from the patient perspective. Healthcare services should always be delivered in this manner but unfortunately not all of them are. I work in a clinical position and I have seem some amazing quality care and then I have seen some poor quality care and I have come to realize that it comes down to the individual whom is providing care.
ReplyDeleteIn the last little paragraph you stated, "But most of all quality to me means commitment and trust." After working with patients in a hospital I can say that most patients just want exactly that; commitment and trust from their healthcare providers. They want someone who is going to be honest but yet compassionate with them when it comes to discussing their healthcare issues. They want a healthcare provider to be committed to their recovery and have a sense of hope that their healthcare provider team is doing everything humanly possible to make their situation better.
I almost feel as if some healthcare providers forget why they went into the healthcare industry. Helping people and making people feel better should be the main focus for any healthcare provider not just a paycheck or a nice work schedule.