5.4.01 Improving the acceptability of hospital services

1 Purpose and objective

Patient needs and patient perception of services play a major role in the acceptance of hospital services. To this end, the individual treatments and their course must be viewed "through the eyes of the patient". The aim is to ensure that no patient is deterred from necessary treatment by objective or perceived inconvenience.

The hospital treatment process must be designed in such a way that the needs of patients and their perception of the process are respected. Waiting times and conditions must be analyzed. The conditions of the procedure should accommodate the patient's lifestyle in an appropriate manner. The hospital must obtain knowledge about the needs and lifestyles of its patients, e.g. through surveys. The characteristics of the treatment services are often perceived differently by the patients than expected by the hospital staff. The difference must be determined through appropriate investigations, communicated to the staff and taken into account in their behavior. Consideration must be given to how access to services and their acceptability by patients can be improved. To this end, the hospital management must familiarize itself with the needs, wishes, views and behaviours of patients. Patient surveys, for example, usually serve this purpose.

2 Scope of application

the organization of procedures, design of the premises, information material, etc., insofar as they relate to the way in which the service is provided. When selecting medical treatment procedures, aspects of acceptability must not overshadow questions of the effectiveness and safety of medical and nursing care.

3 Implementation

3.1 Conducting surveys and studies

Needs and perceptions cannot always be determined by a simple thought experiment or by empathizing with the patient's situation. In such cases, surveys, interviews or other techniques are useful. The hospital should always have a procedure in place to systematically record and list the needs of patients. Regular audits can then be carried out to check whether the needs are being met, at least where this is possible without great effort.
The methods belong to the improvement techniques

3.2 Evaluation of third-party studies

Studies carried out by institutes independent of hospitals, research institutions or consumer organizations should be regularly reviewed. The recognizable needs should be written down and listed. The needs should be evaluated in the same way as the House of Quality.
A commentary on the studies will be provided to assess their validity.
In addition to the "wish lists", a "problem list" can also be kept. A table can be used to check which solutions have been found for the problems.

3.3 Time required

4 Documentation

Keeping a list of patient needs

5 Responsibilities

The organization of service provision is a management task.

6 Notes and comments

7 Applicable documents

7.1 Literature, regulations

1st survey by Stiftung Warentest on hospital services, published in test 11/95 p. 1200 - 1206
2nd DAK survey of Hamburg hospitals April 1996
3 Nickel, S.; Trojan, A.
Interim report of the 1994 quantitative patient survey at the "Alten Eichen" hospital
Public health Project Accompanying research on health-promoting hospitals. 21.3.1995

7.2 Terms

Attachments