6 factors would improve hospital stays, says N.B. Health Council after patient survey
CBC
About 80 per cent of New Brunswick hospital patients report having a very good overall experience, according to a survey released Tuesday by the New Brunswick Health Council.
But the comments from those who had a negative experience reveal the extremes within the system, said CEO Stéphane Robichaud.
"When it was not good, it was really not good," he said.
One patient, for example, said their hospital stay was one of the worst experiences they've ever had to endure.
"I was treated like a NUMBER, a nonhuman, a disease, a condition, but never as a PERSON," the unidentified patient said about their stay at one of the province's medium or large hospitals.
"I was disrespected, humiliated, talked about very casually among the staff at the nursing station, and generally disregarded," said the patient, who left a day early because of staff behaviour "and extremely bad food."
Overall care experience is an important measure because it can affect health outcomes, length of hospital stays, and re-admissions, according to the council, a Crown corporation whose mandate is to report publicly on the performance of the provincial health system, and engage citizens in the improvement of health services quality.
The 2023 Hospital Acute Care Survey, which was conducted between June and November 2023, and is the council's first post-COVID-19 pandemic survey, provides valuable insights, said Robichaud.
Sometimes it can boil down to which employees are working when a patient receives care, he said.
But based on the responses of 4,719 patients, the council has identified six key issues that influence a patient's experience — all of which need to be improved, he said.
These include: internal co-ordination of care, emotional support, information received about conditions and treatments, communication with nurses, pain control and safety.
The first three are crucial to patient-centred care and require the most attention, said Robichaud.
Only 58 per cent of respondents said they always felt there was good communication between hospital staff and that staff were informed about their care.
Only 61 per cent said they always received the emotional support they needed to help with any anxieties, fears or worries.
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