HQC - Patient Experience Survey - News Release

Majority of Saskatchewan patients satisfied with acute hospital care, but opportunities to improve provider-patient communications

For immediate release: Tuesday, June 28, 2005 - 10:00 AM CST

Saskatchewan's first province-wide survey of acute hospital patients shows the vast majority (94%) rate the overall quality of hospital care they receive as good or higher, with three out of four patients rating it as very good or excellent, according to a report released today by the province's Health Quality Council (HQC). HQC is an independent agency with a mandate to measure and report on health system performance and work with providers and managers to improve quality of care.

The survey identifies several aspects of care that patients score particularly high:

Being treated with respect and dignity (83%)
Courtesy of doctors and nursing staff (94-96%)
Knowing who to call with questions after discharge (94%)

The greatest opportunities for improvement in Saskatchewan hospitals are related to provider-patient communications, particularly around discharge planning. Just over half (55%) of patients reported being told what medication side effects to watch for after they left the hospital. The results also indicate that patients want better management of their pain. More than 20 per cent of patients reported waiting longer than 30 minutes to receive pain medication after requesting it.

Dr. Ben Chan, HQC's Chief Executive Officer, says the survey is an excellent tool for finding out what is working for patients, and where they feel care could be improved. "While most people are satisfied with their care, we would like to see even more patients choosing very good or excellent responses in subsequent surveys," says Chan. "Our next step now is working with regions to find solutions that meet patients' needs and expectations. The fact that many patients are leaving hospital not knowing important information about to their recovery, for example, suggests we need supports and systems to help our providers do a better job with this aspect of care."

HQC conducted the survey in partnership with the province's Regional Health Authorities (RHA). Between September 2004 and March 2005, close to 5,000 surveys were completed by Saskatchewan residents who received in-patient care in an acute hospital.

Other key findings from the survey:

Most patients (94%) rated overall doctor care as good or higher. Seventy-seven per cent rated it as very good or excellent.
Almost all patients (98%) indicated they sometimes or always had confidence and trust in the nursing staff treating them. Three out of four patients responded they always had confidence and trust in nursing staff.
Province-wide, three per cent of patients reported that they suffered personal injury or harm as a result of a medical error or mistake during a recent hospital stay.
Some groups consistently rated their hospital care lower than others. These groups included women, pediatric patients (12 years of age or younger), patients between the ages of 17 and 39, and First Nations/Indian/Métis patients.
Hospitals in the Heartland Health Region consistently scored higher than the provincial average. Community hospitals as a whole were more likely to be rated positively by patients.

Dr. Chan believes the survey provides important baseline information for the province. "Ontario has conducted patient surveys since 1998, and their experience is that having this information can result in positive change. By providing an opportunity for patient feedback, Saskatchewan regions have taken an important step in improving the quality of the hospital experience."

Over the next few months, RHAs will review their results to determine which aspects of hospital care to focus on first. All regions have committed to using the results of the survey to set specific, measurable targets for quality improvement.

"We were pleased to partner with the Health Quality Council in this initiative," states Andrew Will, Chief Executive Officer of the Cypress Health Region. "The survey results have identified a number of positives in our health region's provision of acute care services and will also assist us to examine those areas of improvement that need to be addressed."

The Health Quality Council will provide support for regional improvement efforts, including repeating the survey in the next fiscal year to monitor the effectiveness of the improvement strategies. HQC will also facilitate communication between the regions, so that higher-scoring regions and facility types can share leading practices and spread improvement.

"How patients are treated as people is an important dimension of care," says Dr. Chan. "This survey is about patients' perceptions and opinions. It is important information that complements information on health outcomes. When patients are satisfied with their care, they are more likely to follow prescribed treatments and have better health outcomes. Our health system benefits from understanding their unique perspective on the hospital experience."

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For more information please contact:

Shari Furniss, Communications Consultant

Health Quality Council

Tel: 306-668-8810 ext 112/ Cell: 306-220-5075

Fax: 306-668-8820

Email: sfurniss@hqc.sk.ca

Regional Health Authority contacts for this survey:

Athabasca: Georgina MacDonald @ 439-2200

Cypress: Bryce Martin @ 778-5117

Five Hills: Craig Beesley @ 694-0300

Heartland: Carla Roppel @ 882-4111ext. 236