Everyone has the right to excellent hospital services. Patients coming in for a check-up shouldn’t feel terrified by what they’ll go through. In a world where hospital negligence and cases of malpractice exist, it is natural to feel skeptical.
Hospitals are also one of the busiest buildings in the medical sector. They’re committed to treating numerous patients and diseases at a time. There are also multiple tasks happening at the same time. In an environment so busy, there needs to be robust monitoring and effective management to improve service and care for patients. Hospitals that don’t pay attention to their patients often do more harm than good to patients’ well-being. Medical malpractice and negligence can lead to litigation and loss of money since medical malpractice cases are expensive and can tear a chunk of the hospital’s reputation. To prevent that from happening, here’s what the hospital can do:
1. Revise hospital policies
The administration should continually update hospital policies. If rules and practice standards had been established ten years ago, give them a revision every two years. The policy should include emergency protocols and outline the treatment and service standards for patients. It should consist of services and assistance for people who don’t speak the commonly spoken language or are disabled in any way. It should also be mandatory for nurses and doctors to adjust themselves to the policies. The management can help streamline policy-making and its implementation. However, this may require individuals with practical leadership skills. Interested managers can hone these skills by enrolling in and completing an MHL degree and step up to prominent leadership positions within healthcare administration. Doing so will help revise policies, streamline other administrative issues, and improve the overall level of service for patients.
2. Have a diverse staff
Diversity helps build tolerance and acceptance. It also makes patients feel more comfortable. When patients come in for treatment, they also want to feel represented. Healthcare practitioners who come from different walks of life can also empathize with patients. It helps to establish a relationship between a patient and health practitioner. When patients are comfortable, they’re very cooperative. When healthcare practitioners also speak different languages, it reduces errors in the system. It also ensures that healthcare practitioners are listening to patients without a language barrier.
3. Use the latest technology
Technology has also revolutionized the healthcare industry, among others. Therefore, incorporate the latest health tech in the hospital. The hospital’s administration should also provide training to the relevant staff on using these innovations. Not only does it make healthcare swifter, but it also ensures that patients get appropriately checked. If patients use watches such as the Apple watches, incorporate their health chart to get faster results. Outdated methods should be discarded. Patients shouldn’t have to wait to get checked and treated because of obsolete methods. The same rules apply to surgery. Robotics in surgery is the new norm.
4. Maintain hygiene standards
Hospitals can’t afford poor hygiene standards. There needs to be a sanitizer dispenser throughout the hospital. Patients should get encouraged to sanitize their hands frequently as well as the staff. Patient rooms must be thoroughly cleaned on time. Hospitals should also get their HVAC systems checked regularly. The sewage and filters should also get changed. The products used for cleaning should be mild and mindful of patients who are sensitive to certain chemicals in the air. Doctors should also not be encouraged to wear jewelry or clothing that can get caught indoors. The reason for avoiding jewelry is that doctors can comfortably wear gloves and not risk dropping jewelry onto patients. Keep a standard for doctors and nurses to follow when tying up their hair and how often they need gloves.
5. Maintain proper patient records and discharge documents
When it comes to recording patients’ data, they should use an electronic health chart. Patients should also get their prescriptions through emails or texts. The language used in electronic health charts should be precise and concise. Any abbreviation used should be understood by all the hospital staff. It will help if the hospital provides the healthcare staff with a directory to ensure they’re always aware of the codes. When it comes to discharging papers, they should also follow a system of conciseness. However, the language should also be as simple as possible. If a patient had surgery, inform them what the surgery is called and what they went through. The discharge paper should also contain details of the following updates and medicines along with their doses. Every hospital should have a website to book appointments. The booking process should include getting tested. Tests should also include details on what the patient should expect, along with special precautions.
6. Ask for patient feedback
Patients should be encouraged to provide feedback. Patients should also be allowed to take up their complaints directly to management. If there is greater transparency between the hospital and the patients, it will improve results. Hospitals should make an effort to listen to what patients have to say. Since these individuals are experiencing the treatment firsthand, they have an idea of what is happening. Dismissing and discarding their opinions will only make the hospital unpopular, followed by a poor rating.
Conclusion
The healthcare sector is one of the busiest sectors. However, unlike other industries, it can’t afford mistakes. A case of negligence can cause a patient to die. Therefore hospitals need to pay attention to what they’re providing for their patients. Hospitals should keep themselves updated with new policies and technology. There needs to be a standard of care maintained at all levels. Patients should always get treated with dignity and respect. Hospitals should also try automating their services as much as possible. Incorporating more technology reduces paper waste and reduces the burden on the sector to maintain physical records. All hospitals need are simple measures to ensure that they provide their services properly and treat patients well.
