Patient satisfaction has become increasingly important in today'scompetitive healthcare environment, Dr Ho Manh Tuong, General Secretaryof the Ho Chi Minh City Society for Reproductive Medicine, told a recentworkshop in HCM City.

"Vietnam's healthcare system is in themidst of dramatic transformation," Tuong said at the workshop, organisedby the Private Healthcare Management Club.

While competitionbetween medical institutions is increasing, little had been done toidentify the most important characteristics of healthcare services toimprove patient satisfaction, he said.

He noted that healthcarequality included both technical quality, which reflects the accuracy ofmedical diagnoses and procedures, and functional quality, which is howpatients perceive the services delivered.

"In otherwords, since patients are often unable to accurately assess thetechnical quality of healthcare service, patients have a tendency toinfer technical quality based on functional aspects," he said."Patients' quality perceptions are usually determined by functionalquality."

Dr Nguyen Minh Man, Deputy Manager of thecity's University Medical Centre's general planning department, saidpatient satisfaction depended on several factors: doctors and nurses'competence, results of examination and treatment, hospital care forpatients, waiting time, patients' trust in hospitals, hospitalfacilities and medical fees.

Dr Le Huu Phuc, who isstudying for a master's degree in Healthcare Management in SouthAustralia's Flinders University, cited research that showed US hospitalswith high patient satisfaction provided more efficient care and wereassociated with higher surgical quality.

To achievethe highest patient satisfaction index, Phuc said hospitals shouldprovide good salaries, have a safe working environment and properpolicies.
If not, low-quality healthcare services would be provided, causing patient dissatisfaction.

The Ministry of Health has told health departments in provinces and cities to improve patient satisfaction at their hospitals.

VuongAnh Tai, Deputy Head of the city Department of Health's medicalprofession division, said that his department had started to pay moreattention to patient satisfaction.

The city Department of Healthis, in partnership with global healthcare company US's MerckSharp&Dohme and market research company Nielsen Vietnam, conducting asurvey on people's satisfaction with the city's healthcare.

Based on the survey, the city will take steps to improve shortcomings.

"Satisfaction of patients and their relatives are important in the development of both public and private hospitals," he said.

Besidesprofessional skills of doctors, he said the hospitals should alsoconduct their own surveys on patient satisfaction periodically.

Lastyear, 53 percent of complaints via hotlines of hospitals in the cityreflected patient dissatisfaction about behaviour and working attitudesof health staff, including doctors and nurses.

Man said doctorsand nurses at his hospital were given training in communications skills.A special unit monitors the staff while they work and patients providefeedback so that staff can improve in a timely fashion.

He said these skills should be incorporated into a training programme at medical universities.-VNA