Patient Satisfaction Survey
Summary of Responses to Patient Satisfaction Survey conducted between October and December 2019
The Diagnostic Endoscopy Centre audited a sample of patients between October and December, using an externally developed patient satisfaction survey (QPS), to seek feedback from our patients and their carers. The audit was conducted across a broad range of criteria to assist us in assessing our performance against the previous results and to benchmark against our peers. We also use the outcomes of feedback to develop staff education programs.
During October to December 2019 we admitted 1993 patients. We received 203 completed surveys.
Participation in this survey is voluntary with the option for respondents to identify themselves if they wished. Many people did identify themselves and this was particularly useful where they raised points or had questions. We can contact those respondents and work with them to make improvements to our service delivery and care.
Respondents were asked to provide some personal details about themselves prior to starting the survey. These included their name, age, postcode, gender, language spoken at home, where they are from (indigenous background) (specified), their general health, financial status, health fund name (if applicable) and who referred them to the DEC.
From their responses we have the following information:
Information about Respondents
54.8% of respondents were female and 45.2% were male (more females responded to the survey last year than men – this has been repeated for the past two years)
100% of respondents were not Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descendants
98.1% of respondents speak English as their first language at home
95.0% of respondents are privately insured
28.10% of respondents identified their health status as excellent; 6.2% as very good; 15.3% as fair and 0.5% as poor
70% of respondents were referred by their GP; 11.3% from their surgeon; 6.9% were self-referred; 3.9% from family and friends and 7.9% from other
3.9% of respondents were aged 15-29 years; 11.8% between 30-49 years; 51.2% between 50-69 years and 29.1% between 70-89 years
Breakdown of membership
We noted 193 (95.1%) of the respondents are members of fifteen different health funds with the remaining respondents being uninsured. These funds are (in alphabetical order):
AHM 5 (2.5%)
AMA 2 (1.0%)
Australian Unity 13 (2.5%)
BUPA 54 (18.7%)
CBHS 3 (1.5%)
Defence 9 (4.4%)
Grand United 3 (1.5%)
HAD 1 (0.5%)
HCF 56 (27.6%)
Medibank Private 30 (14.8%)
MIF 1 (0.5%)
nib 24 (11.8%)
QANTAS 3 (1.5%)
Teachers 10 (9.1%)
Uni Health 1 (0.5%)
Survey Categories
Nine categories were surveyed with the following percentage scores:
Patient experience with appointment and waiting time 96.4%
Patient experience with location and physical access 87.5%
Patient experience with care services and treatment 99.4%
Patient experience with information 97.9%
Patient experience with the billing process 97.1%
Patient experience with decision making & involvement 98.1%
Patient experience with discharge process 98.4%
Patient experience with transfer process 98.3%
Patient recommendation 98.9%
Overall patient experience index 97.3%
In each category the DEC achieved an improved result (including location and physical access which continues to be a concern for the DEC and our patients). The DEC is located in the very busy St Vincent’s Clinic building and car parking is always in high demand. There appears no real solution to this issue – availability of car parking scored 75.63% compared to only 67.24% in last year’s survey and 72.06% in 2016.
Appointment and waiting time
The information made available to me to prepare for my appointment 97.5%
The way I was treated on the phone 96.8%
The overall waiting time I experienced 94.9%
Location and physical access
Availability of drop off areas 86.5%
Availability of car parking 78.5%
Providing me with information on location and public transport 93.6%
Inside and outside signs at the DEC 88.8%
Disability access 92.1%
Care services and treatment
Treating me with respect and dignity during my stay 99.8%
My views and concerns were listened to 99.5%
My individual needs were met 99.5%
When a need could not be met, staff explained why 97.8%
If I needed assistance, staff helping me within a reasonable timeframe 99.1%
The staff caring for me, explained things in a way I could understand 99.6%
The staff were able to allay any worries or fears I had 99.3%
I felt cared for 99.7%
The staff involved in my care, communicated with each other about my treatment 99.3%
I received pain relief that met my needs 99.6%
When I was in hospital, I felt confident in the safety of my treatment 99.7%
The overall cleanliness of the DEC 98.7%
The overall care I received whilst at the DEC 99.5%
Information
Rights and responsibilities in a way that was easy to understand and helpful 98.8%
I was kept informed as much as I wanted to be about my treatment 98.8%
My family or carer were kept informed as much as I wanted 97.8%
The information about my consent was easy to understand and helpful 98.7%
Enough information about the prevention of infections 96.2%
Which best describes your experience of the overall information 97.1%
Billing process
The advice and information on the cost of my procedure before admission 96.9%
Information about my financial consent was easy to understand/helpful 97.2%
Decision making and involvement
Being involved, as much as I want, in decisions about my care/treatment 99.0%
Having enough opportunities for carer/family to talk to staff 96.6%
Allowing my carer/family to be involved in my care as much as I wanted 98.3%
Discharge process
Making adequate arrangement for services I needed following my discharge 98.4%
Providing enough information about how to manage my care at home 98.3%
Providing enough information about how to manage my medicines at home 98.6%
Providing instructions for any follow up appointments after my procedure 98.6%
Emergency medical care information including phone number 98.2%
Transfer process
Being provided with enough information about the reason for my transfer 98.3%
Notifying my carer or relative about my transfer 98.3%
Involving me and my carer in all parts of my transfer as much as possible 98.3%
Making my transfer as easy and comfortable as possible 98.2%
Patient recommendation
How likely would you be to return if require a procedure in future 98.8%
How likely to recommend care, treatment to family and friends 99.0%
Overall patient satisfaction
The DEC achieved an increase in the overall satisfaction of 98.1%.
One question posed in the patient recommendation category “How likely would you be to recommend the DEC to family and friends” scored 99.0% compared to 98.3% in 2018 and 96.8% in 2017. We have seen consistent improvement in the results achieved through this survey over many years. We collate the information from this survey and use it for staff education, quality projects and marketing purposes.
The summary of this survey is published on our website; distributed to our contracted health funds, and copies provided in recovery for our patients and carers to read.
Once again, we would like to thank those patients and carers who took the time to complete this survey. The survey is seven pages long and takes a considerable amount of time to complete. We thank you for taking the time away from your other interests or responsibilities to help us.
We have a consumer focus group that has helped us refine our documentation and which continues to help us improve the quality of service we provide to you. If you would like to assist us in any way, please feel free to contact Laine, our Nursing Unit Manager (laine@endoscopy.stvincents.com.au) or Jan, our Chief Executive Officer (jan@endoscopy.stvincents.com.au) or telephone us on 02 8382 6622. Please feel free to contact us at any time if you would like to discuss you are care or the services we have provided to you.
