Patient experiences to drive hospital improvements
Today the Bureau of Health Information (Bureau) has launched its first patient survey, asking people about their experience in NSW public hospitals.
The Adult Admitted Patient Survey will be sent to around 80,000 people over the next year. The anonymous survey includes questions about the admission and discharge process, care andtreatment, food, nurses, doctors and pain management. The survey also asks for information about how patients managed their condition before they began treatment.
Conducted by the Bureau, which independently reports on the performance of the public health system, the survey program aims to identify areas where hospitals are performing well and where improvements can be made.
Chief Executive of the Bureau, Dr Jean-Frédéric Levesque says “We’re asking people to tell us about their hospital experience so we can understand how patients feel about the care they receive and to compare performance of hospitals across NSW.”
“This is a unique opportunity to measure the aspects of the health system that only patients can tell us about. The survey will provide new information from a patient’s perspective and we will publish a report on its results.”
Surveys are first being sent to a random selection of adult patients admitted to hospital between January and March 2013. Over the next year, surveys will continue on a monthly basis.
Following the Adult Admitted Patient Survey, other patient groups will be surveyed, including those attending emergency departments, outpatient clinics, children and young people admitted to hospital.
The Bureau will ask over a quarter of a million patients about their experience with the NSW public health system in the next twelve months.
The results will be available from early 2014.