Improving the quality of medical services, towards patient satisfaction

Despite facing many difficulties and challenges, over the years, the health sector has made efforts to continuously improve the quality of services to meet the health care needs of the People.

Staff and doctors of Hanoi – Lang Son Truong Sinh General Clinic performed gastrointestinal endoscopy for patients

Improving the quality of public health services

The entire provincial health sector currently has 4 provincial hospitals, 1 disease control center, 11 district and city health centers and 200 health stations in communes, wards and townships. Mr. Nguyen The Toan, Director of the Department of Health said: Determining that improving the quality of medical service delivery is a top and cross-cutting task, over the years, the Department of Health has directed its affiliated units to develop detailed and specific medical examination and treatment plans on a monthly and quarterly basis; require hospitals and health centers to promote scientific research to ensure that 2 or more new technical services are implement each year. At the same time, the department also directs the medical team, doctors and staff of the industry to actively innovate the service style and attitude towards patient satisfaction…

Accordingly, medical facilities in the area have made efforts to implement solutions to improve service quality. For example, in 2022, 90% of hospitals and health centers implemented 2 or more new technical services. Along with the development of new technology, hospitals and health centers are always actively renewing their attitudes and styles towards patient satisfaction. Every year, medical units organize training courses to renew service styles and attitudes for all officers and employees; maintain and establish social working groups and divisions to ensure the communication and connection of information between hospitals, health centers and patients… Through the results of the inspection and assessment of hospital quality at the end of 2022 according to the regulations of the Ministry of Health, the overall average score of hospitals increased from 0.04 to 0.12 points/hospital.

Doctor Truong Quy Truong, Director of the Provincial General Hospital said: Particularly in 2022, the unit has implemented 88 new techniques, an increase of 10 new techniques compared to 2021, including many high techniques such as: cyst aspiration, sclerotherapy under ultrasound guidance; laparoscopic surgery to suture colonic perforation; peripheral nerve suture… At the same time, the hospital is always focus on building the image of qualified medical staff, good at medical ethics… The improvement of the quality of medical services has contributed to improving the quality of medical treatment, limiting the referral of patients, and reducing the economic burden for patients.

With the efforts of medical facilities, the quality of medical examination and treatment of the public health system in the province has made many positive changes, better meeting the health care needs of the People, the number of people coming for inpatient and outpatient examination and treatment has increased compared to 2021. In 2022, the public health system provided medical examination and treatment for more than 1.3 million people; Hospital inpatient treatment and stay at medical center of communes, wards and townships has 147,114 turn of visits, an increase of 16% compared to 2021, outpatient treatment has 160,371 turn of visits, 3 times higher than in 2021.

Staff of the Provincial General Hospital performed percutaneous laser gallstone lithotripsy surgery

Quality assurance of private medical services

As of early 2023, the province has 797 private medical and pharmaceutical establishments (309 medical practice establishments, 488 pharmacy establishments). Along with improving the quality of the public health system, the health sector also creates favorable conditions for private health facilities to develop on the basis of tightening management and improving service quality.

Mr. Pham Duc Co, Head of the Medical and Pharmaceutical Profession Division, Department of Health said: In order to ensure the quality of medical service delivery in private establishments, especially medical establishments, The Department of Health has directed and guided units to strengthen training and update professional knowledge after granting medical examination and treatment practice certificates; revoke medical and pharmaceutical practice certificates in case of failure to carry out continuing training as prescribed; publicized the list of organizations and individuals practicing private medicine and pharmacy on the website of the Department of Health. At the same time, the Department of Health also encouraged medical establishments to implement new and modern techniques to serve the people’s medical examination and treatment needs on the basis of strictly complying with the provisions of the law.

At the same time, private medical establishments have increased investment in equipment and human resources as well as changed service styles and attitudes to attract patients. Many units focused on developing new techniques, deep expertise…

Dr. Ly Van Quyet, Deputy Director in charge of specialties, Truong Sinh General Clinic Hanoi – Lang Son (Vinh Trai ward, Lang Son city) said: To improve the professional qualifications of the staff, on average, the unit organizes 1 training course to improve the qualifications of the medical staff every 3 months; encourages staff to self-study and improve their qualifications; invites doctors at upper-level hospitals to work and support teaching staff in the form of “On-job training”. For nursing staff, on average, the unit organizes training once a month on changing attitudes, service styles, towards patient satisfaction… With the improvement of the quality of medical services, it has contributed to attracting many patients for examination and treatment. Currently, each day the unit examines more than 100 people and treats nearly 50 patients.

At the same time, the health sector has stepped up inspection and post-inspection work for private medical establishments;  In 2022, the Department of Health Inspectorate conducted 15 planned, thematic and unexpected inspections at 180 establishments. Through the inspection, the inspection delegation discovered 36 violation establishments, sanctioned administrative violations with an amount of more than 560 million VND; revoke certificates of eligibility for pharmacy business of 31 establishments; revoke and cancel operating licenses of 10 medical examination and treatment establishments. From inspection and examination, the health sector has promptly rectified and handled establishments that violate the provisions of the law, ensured the quality of medical services provided to the people in the area.

The fact that the private health establishments focus on improving the quality of medical examination and treatment and the authorities strengthen the state management has contributed to ensuring the quality of private medical services, help people access and use modern and quality medical services, attract more people to come for examination and treatment. In 2022, the total number of medical examinations at private medical establishments in the province reached more than 255,000, equal to 20% of the total number of medical examination at public health establishments (up 5% compared to 2021). ).

With continuous efforts and achieved results, we believe that in the coming time, Lang Son health sector will continue to implement effective measures, contribute to further improve the quality of medical services, better meet the needs of medical examination and treatment and health care of the people in the locality.