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    Restoring the Public’s Faith in Hospitals and Health Care

    August 20th, 2008

    Guest Post by Heather Johnson

    Over the last several years, much has been done to attempt to “fix” health care, hospitals, and public health. With somewhat noble intentions, new laws like HIPAA have been passed, as have innovations in the way hospitals do business, treat patients, and promote themselves in general. One thing is missing, however: the public still lacks the necessary faith in hospitals as well as the health care system in general. The fact of the matter is many people still wait until it is almost too late to receive much-needed care and treatment.

    [More:]

    You Can Change the Look, But Not the Feel

    Many hospitals have gone to giving some or all of their rooms the hotel or resort look in order to eliminate the sterile feeling hospitals give some patients. The thought process is correct here; however, you cannot simply make things look different and expect a shift in the quality of care to occur. If patients and relatives are not treated like guests, it does not matter how well-decorated the room is. Bedside manner and a smile go a long way in helping patients to feel at home.

    Falling Through the Cracks: The Middle-Class Gap

    Currently in the United States, there are two groups of people that seem to get their health care needs met: the wealthy and the extremely poor. People with money can afford the treatments and care needed to sustain their quality of life. Conversely, the poor can utilize Medicaid, which covers most, if not all, of the costs when it comes to receiving treatment at a hospital, especially when it comes to maternity care. Of course, the poor may not be getting the care they need until the last minute, but they are covered nonetheless—without the fear of being unable to pay.

    One of the biggest problems with the current state of health care is that middle-class people fall into the gap between the haves and the have-nots. Many lower middle-class people make just enough to not qualify for Medicaid, but cannot afford health insurance. With the rising costs of hospital care and health care in general, these people are simply unable to afford to get the care they need. Some are reluctant to visit the hospital, even when they may really need to, out of fear that unpaid medical bills will ruin their credit.

    Shifting Mentality: What is Needed to Change Public Perception

    Getting back to the basic principle of treat everyone how you would like to be treated is the main focus here. A great bedside manner goes a long way, as does a smile. Taking time (even when it feels like there is none) to talk with patients and get to know them makes people feel better. People need to know that hospitals and health care professionals are not “out to get them.” A lot could be done for the hospital industry if people demonstrated a little compassion for those who are unable to pay right away as well. Hospitals are a business, most definitely, but at what cost?

    This post was contributed by Heather Johnson, who writes on the subject of top nursing schools. She invites your feedback at heatherjohnson2323 at gmail dot com.

    Comments:

    Comment from: hospitaltony [Member]
    it is indeed competition. But at 1-2% market share max, there are still bigger fish to fry.

    I think all these other customer-centric innovations combined together (e.g. retail clinics and Google Health records) will drive only a small amount of real change.
    Permalink 08/20/08 @ 15:06
    Comment from: Anthony Cirillo [Visitor] · http://www.4wardfast.com
    There are lessons we can learn from medical tourism about price and the experience. And ignoring these customer centric initiatives underestimates the consumer. Anthony Cirillo, FACHE
    Permalink 08/27/08 @ 19:07
    Comment from: Kristin Baird [Visitor] · http://www.baird-consulting.com
    Health care organizations must earn people's trust during every encounter. There are countless dedicated and well-meaning health care workers in the trenches who are committed to delivering great care. Unfortunately that level of dedication isn't always consistent from person to person or from department to department or even shift to shift. Trust is a fragile emotion and particularly vulnerable when you are in pain physically and/or emotionally. Setting clear service standards and holding everyone accountable for them is a leadership imperative. Creating consistently positive patient experiences can be accomplished with clarity and persistence.
    Permalink 09/03/08 @ 12:48
    Comment from: Ask The Dietitian [Visitor] · http://www.themenucoachchronicles.com
    Yes, our health care system needs a good dose of something. This is an issue I feel strongly about. Check out my recent post http://www.themenucoachchronicles.com/2008/09/open-letter-to-physicians_02.html
    Permalink 09/05/08 @ 08:47
    Comment from: Contacts [Visitor] · http://breathablecontactlenses.net/
    Tomorrow is going to be a day for breathable contact lenses. You may not know the outcome.

    In the other cases, I have named contacts as part of this. Apparently not. I guess that they were visited by space aliens. Do you recognize that stale hip-hop tune? I can't guarantee your success. Most peers just dismiss that as garbage. I'm saying too much RGP lenses is good. Contacts stores are making big changes that year. No biggie. It looked too tempting to not try. What's more important, contacts or continuous wear lenses? I'm not happy about what they've done to breathable contact lenses.
    Permalink 12/27/09 @ 09:37
    Comment from: Contacts [Visitor] · http://breathablecontactlenses.net/
    Breathable contact lenses has wide availability so it's called setting priorities. Maybe I should just wake up late instead. It's all here. Allow me to wax nostalgic. That's a discomfort you won't forget soon. Contacts also makes a person feel happier and also it's basically a RGP lenses but only 100 times better. It doesn't make sense to blow so much gold on continuous wear lenses when you can just have a breathable contact lenses too. Here are some on the ball concepts. Which just goes to show what I suspected all along was wrong.

    I have always used a defense of breathable contact lenses based on reason or logic.
    Permalink 12/27/09 @ 09:37
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    Permalink 03/02/10 @ 19:32

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    Safety Tip

    Hospital facilities built today do not include asbestos, but many older buildings still have asbestos components in them. Steam pipes, boilers and furnace ducts were often insulated with an asbestos blanket or asbestos paper tape because of their fireproof and insulating properties. Resilient floor tiles were made from vinyl asbestos. Asbestos cement was employed in roofing, shingles and siding materials. The hazard of this carcinogen increases when the fibers become airborne, and untrained contractors can inadvertently increase risks by cutting, tearing, sawing, scraping, or sanding asbestos materials. Elevated asbestos levels can occur in hospitals where old materials are damaged or disturbed. It is best to leave undamaged asbestos material alone if it is not likely to be disturbed. Inhaling asbestos fibers is known to cause mesothelioma and other diseases. Be sure to use an experienced asbestos removal contractor when you need to get rid of old materials that might contain asbestos.