Authors (including presenting author) :
Ho KM, Tse SM, Yip LM, Chan KH, Li YC
Affiliation :
Kwong Wah Hospital Out-Patient Department
Introduction :
The values of Hospital Authority(HA) are people centered care, professional service, committed staff and teamwork. People centered care is not only emphases the importance of having a caring heart, but also having a good two-way communication, which is indispensable for understanding and meeting a patient’s needs.
Supporting staff would be the first contact point of our patients to our services. They offer the first impression to our patients. Their communication skills would be essential to build up a trusting relationship with patients and their families.
Ineffective communication would lead to patient dissatisfaction and even patient complains. Enhance communication training for frontline healthcare workers would be one of the strategies to improve our patients ‘experience.
Objectives :
To facilitate participants to have a positive attitude in patient communication with the understanding of patients’ needs.
To equip participants with the skillsets and toolsets to interact with patients effectively
To offer tips on different practical scenarios and emotional management
Methodology :
Better Patient Service(BPS) is a training program to enhance the communication skills of supporting staff. It would include videotaped re-enactments, sharing, discussion and role play exercises.
A modified Better Patient Service program has been carried out in Kwong Wah Hospital(KWH) Out-Patients Department(OPD) from June to November, 2021. It has been carried out in two one-hour sessions each month by accredited Better Patient Communication instructors. The contents and case scenarios have been modified in out-patient settings. There were 44 Patient Care Assistants participated in the program. Pre-course and post-course questionnaires were designed to assess the confidence and knowledge of the participants in better patient service.
Result & Outcome :
Before the course,93.1% participants thought better patient service is important. 84.1% participants thought they have a need to enhance their patient service skills. 20.5% participants may not know how to service patient well and may not be confident in handling requests from patients. 18.2% participants may not know the attitudes to have a better patient service. 31.8% participants may not know the skills to service patients well.
After the course, 97.7% participants thought the learning objectives of the training were met. 100% participants thought the content was useful to their work and the training could enhance their knowledge and skills to serve patients. 95.4% participants thought the training could help them to understand the concept of better patient service. 97.7% participants thought the training could enhance their confidence in handling requests from patients; could help them to provide quality health care; the content were easily understood. And 100% participants thought the learning materials were easily understood and the speakers could present clearly.
Most participants thought better patient service is important. But around one-fifth participants may not be confident in handling patients’ requests and known the attitudes to have a better patient service. Besides,around one-third participants may not know the skills to serve patients well. Almost all participants thought the course could enhance their confidence in handling patients’ requests and help them to provide quality health care. And all participants thought the course could enhance their knowledge and skills to serve patients.
With the KWH OPD feedback and complains analysis in 2021, there was a significant decrease in the number of complains to patient care assistants from 2Q (6) to 4Q (1).
