There is still 'bribes' in hospitals

(Baonghean) - Up to now, at medical facilities, there are still cases of nurses being grumpy with patients; there are cases of women giving birth having to "bribe" medical staff.

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To objectively assess patient satisfaction, in early 2017, the Department of Health contracted with the Institute of Strategy and Policy (an independent unit) to assess patient satisfaction at 7 hospitals, including 4 provincial hospitals: Nghe An General Hospital, Nghe An Obstetrics and Pediatrics, Nghe An Oncology, Endocrinology, and 3 general hospitals in Nam Dan, Nghi Loc districts and Vinh City.

At the end of March 2017, the results of this inspection were announced by the Nghe An Department of Health. Accordingly, the hospitals were really interested and evaluated the reality, going into depth the advantages and difficulties of the hospital to find initial improvements.

100% of patients are satisfied with the way of receiving feedback from patients and their families such as: hotline, suggestion box, patient council...

People are doing procedures for health check-ups at the Examination Department of the Provincial General Hospital. Photo: Thuy Hien

From patient comments, the most positive point noted is: The service attitude of medical staff at hospitals is now much better than 2-3 years ago.

However, 3/7 hospitals still have staff lacking communication skills, attitudes, and good service style; 4/7 hospitals have unreasonable examination and treatment procedures, and long waiting times;

6/7 hospitals have inadequate facilities and equipment; 1/7 hospitals discriminate between patients who give envelopes and patients who do not; 3/7 hospitals lack patient support services; 1/7 hospitals abuse paraclinical indications.

At Nghe An General Hospital, there are some points that need to be overcome such as: Some doctors are not enthusiastic and attentive; There are still cases where medical staff do not strictly follow working hours, behave improperly with patients such as showing dissatisfaction when patients ask many questions, patients do not order meals at the cafeteria.

Some departments do not schedule clinical results, making patients wait in vain. There are even cases where staff make things difficult for patients.

In addition, at Nghe An Oncology Hospital, there are cases of nurses being irritable with patients; long waiting times for clinical results, especially ultrasound; lack of supplies in patient rooms; degraded equipment, often broken; difficult transfers and sharing beds.

At the Endocrinology Hospital, medical staff still yell at patients; there are cases of people cutting in line during medical examinations because they know medical staff; patients from other places who come early have to wander around; when it rains, they have no place to take shelter because they are not allowed to enter the hospital because the security guards only open the gate at 6:00 every day to give out medical examination forms; the hospital does not have a dining area for patients.

Instructions for people to do medical examination procedures at Vinh City General Hospital. Photo: Thuy Hien

At Nghe An Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital, some doctors and nurses have not given detailed instructions on how to care for and advise patients; doctors have not spent much time examining inpatients; there is a phenomenon of security guards receiving envelopes; there is smoking in the hospital.

At district hospitals, patients at Vinh City General Hospital reported that waiting times for examination were much longer than before; there were also cases of 2-3 patients sharing a room; and patients had to wait a long time to receive services due to a lack of qualified personnel.

At Nam Dan District General Hospital, the attitude of some medical staff is not friendly; there are many shortcomings in the physical facilities; long waiting time; the introduction of support services in the hospital is limited; there is a phenomenon of women giving birth having to "bribe" medical staff...

At Nghi Loc District General Hospital, the clinic does not work on time; the working style of medical staff is not quick; there is a situation of not following the examination order; the patient's room is too crowded and cramped; there is a lack of clothes, bed sheets for patients, when the items are dirty it is very difficult to change/change and the nurses often have a grumpy attitude towards the patients.

After the results were announced, the Department of Health requested medical examination and treatment units to overcome shortcomings and continue to promote activities according to the content of the plan "innovating the style and service attitude of medical staff towards patient satisfaction".

Thanh Son