​Due to the quicker and quicker development of private medical services, the attitude of service always aims at patients’ satisfaction. Therefore, to maintain people’s trust as well as to improve healthcare services the health sector needs to make a lot of efforts. In addition to highly-qualified human resources, modern equipment and machines, ethical issues are being paid attention to by the health sector. A lot of hospitals and health facilities consider ethical standards as the foundation for survival and development.

The movement of “Training medical ethics, studying and following the moral example of President Ho Chi Minh” associated with the code of conduct and professional ethics that has been deployed by the health sector has been strongly responded to.

The movement of “Training medical ethics, studying and following the moral example of President Ho Chi Minh” associated with the code of conduct and professional ethics that has been deployed by the health sector has been strongly responded to. The provincial health sector has launched the learning movement for 100% of participating officials and civil servants. A lot of units have launched numerous emulation movements; for example, Thong Nhat General Hospital has built 8 standard departments to implement the movement of changing the style and service attitude towards patients’ satisfaction. Director of Thong Nhat General Hospital Pham Van Dung has compiled a set of training materials as a basis for offering training to each individual in the sector to increase capacity and medical ethics towards people’s satisfaction.

Ms. Tran Thi Khanh living in Quarter 5, Trang Dai ward, chose Thong Nhat General Hospital as a place to visit and offer healthcare services during her pregnancy period. Khanh said that compared to the previous time the hospital’s doctors examining her examination were very considerate and thoughtful, that every time she had her pregnancy examined and ultrasounded and did other tests, doctors read detailed results to her and explained the status of her health and her baby without forgetting to ask her more questions like “Do you have any more questions or do you need any more advice?” and those questions gave many patients like her a peace of mind.

In recent times, thanks to fully grasping things Thong Nhat General Hospital has assigned dedicated staff to show patients to specialized rooms and to help patients with procedures and paperwork as they go to the hospital for examination, treatment and hospitalization in spite of a growing number of patients.  In particular, every official and civil servant shows their enthusiasm and openness when they meet with patients. In order to minimize the number of cases in which the hospital staff show their uncomfortable attitude when interacting with patients, causing patients’ loss of trust in the hospital, there is a suggestion box in each department of the hospital and the hotline number is printed on the wall so that patients and their family members can leave their comments if they are not satisfied with the hospital staff’s service attitude. Every week, the hospital checks, receives and gives ideas on patients’ comments to suggest how to make changes in the briefing meetings and in case a serious incident occurs, it will be fixed appropriately.

Aiming at patients’ satisfaction is an important goal of the health sector

Dong Nai General Hospital held a launching ceremony for the action month for patients and this is a new and innovative model with the aim of improving services for patients on the occasion that the hospital has been relocated to the new site for one year and it is also a chance to welcome the National Unification - April 30. In recent years, many units of the provincial health sector have organized movements to change the medical staff’s service attitude towards patients. Also, the health sector’s units regularly assign collectives and individuals to tell stories of “President Ho Chi Minh’s moral example” associated with the introduction of collectives and individuals who have made great achievements in following Uncle Ho’s moral example. Particularly, 46/46 units have developed their plans to implement and direct units to take part in the contest of telling stories about learning President Ho Chi Minh’s moral example at grassroots to provincial levels.  Many units have won high prizes in many contests.

Long Khanh General Hospital now has 21 departments with 454 officials and public servants. In the past years, in addition to professional medical examination and treatment for local people the hospital has focused on following the code of conduct and the medical staff’s service attitude towards patients and people. To do this, the hospital has carried out a lot of specific activities, which has brought out very positive results. All the hospital’s officials and staff are fully aware of the working spirit of “Welcome patients warmly, take care of patients devotedly, and remind patients fully and thoughtfully before they leave”. Therefore, each staff of the hospital is always aware of their responsibility and service attitude towards patients to build patients’ trust.

Since the hospital’s hotline was put into operation, its management has received many calls complaining about the hospital staff’s service attitude, facilities, payment of health insurance, and so on and thank-you calls, as well. The hospital always receives, reviews, exemplifies seriously. As a result, there are fewer and fewer calls complaining about the service attitude of the hospital’s staff, which is praiseworthy, said Mr. Su Son, Director of Long Khanh General Hospital.

Necessity to change the staff’s service attitude and communication skills for the better is fully grasped by the hospital’s civil servants, officials and staff and units have carried out these in various forms such as reminders are given in daily professional briefing meetings; codes of conduct and medical ethics regulations are listed at departments and units; and suggestion boxes and the hospital’s hotline number are available in many places in the hospital. Simultaneously, the hospital and its medical units always strengthen their supervision, inspection and evaluation of how codes of conduct and regulations on the staff’s service attitude to patients are complied with. Through its suggestion boxes and calls into its hotline, the hospital can promptly deal with issues and reply to patients and their families’ questions or complaints. Also, the hospital regularly holds community activities for patients, conducts unexpected and periordical surveys to get patients’ opinions and feedback on the hospital’s treatment and care and patients’ satisfaction.

Duy Minh (An Nhien)