Patients give services at public hospitals passing grade

Alicia Dunkley

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

NINETY-five 95 per cent of persons surveyed by the Ministry of Health in five major hospitals across the island have given the "quality of the health care services" a passing grade.

The survey, which was conducted this year, was to assess the impact of the Government's no-user-fee policy implemented in 2008 and compared data on the system three years before the implementation and three years after. Officials conducted the study using data from five major hospitals — the Kingston Public Hospital, Cornwall Regional, St Ann's Bay, Mandeville Regional, and the Spanish Town Hospital and surveyed 104 patients in the five hospitals.

Director of policy in the Ministry of Health, Sandra Graham — making a presentation to a meeting of the Sessional Select Committee on Human Resources and Social Development in downtown Kingston last Thursday — said 69 per cent of patients were satisfied with the availability of information in the facilities while 75 per cent said they were impressed with the level of privacy. According to the study, 66 per cent were pleased with the physical facilities and the space in waiting areas.

In addition, she said 91 per cent of patients said they were satisfied with the doctors, 82 per cent said they were pleased with the nurses, and 92 per cent with the other medical staff.

"Ninety five 95 per cent of the persons surveyed said they were satisfied with the quality of the health care services," she told the committee.

Noting that the figures were encouraging, Graham said "we are not happy, we really want to see these figures in the 90s".

In the meantime, the policy director said a sharper focus on primary health care is required and further recommended that the ministry and the regional health authorities should explore alternative health financing strategies to increase financial support for the regions. She also said collection of health insurance from patients, who are so covered, should be mandatory to create an assured income stream.

The government in 2008 removed user fees from all hospitals with the exception of the University Hospital of the West Indies and health centres, in fulfilment of one of its campaign promises.

The administration, which provided an initial $3.8 billion to support the implementation of the policy, said its introduction has resulted in taxpayers being saved $8 billion.

While it has come under heavy pressure for the decision which is said to have taxed the system, Graham said economists have found that if the user fees had not been lifted only three million lab tests would have been done in 2010/2011 as against five million.

In addition, they said drugs dispensed would have been at about 750,000 compared to 1.9 million while visits to accident and emergency departments, which have declined, would have increased to about 800,000 compared to 658,000 as at 2010/2011.

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Patients give services at public hospitals passing grade