You are the healthcare manager in a university medical center. After an inspection, JCAHO, your accreditor, notes that patient satisfaction surveys give you a low rating. Although your hospital has a great track record for disease detection, treatment, and monitoring, patients routinely rate their experience at and satisfaction with the hospital as low.
In follow-up interviews with patients, JCAHO discovers that patients felt they and their families were not well-informed about upcoming procedures and options. They had a general feeling of uncertainty about their care and treatment. One former patient stated, "The doctor spent more time talking with the medical residents and student nurses than with me!"
Answer each of the following questions in a paragraph of 5-7 sentences (for a total of 4 paragraphs):
Which ethical principles would you apply to this scenario? Which ethical theorists would you use to guide you? Refer to your textbook, putting all direct citations in quotes.
Which parts of the AHA's Patient Care Partnership document would you apply to this scenario? Refer to specific parts of the document, putting all direct citations in quotes.
Which parts of the ACHE Code of Ethics would you apply to this scenario? Refer to specific parts of the document, putting all direct citations in quotes.
Describe an "action plan" to present to the accrediting body (JCAHO) to convince them you're serious about improving your patient satisfaction scores.
Include an APA-style reference list below your paragraphs, and be sure to use proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
Full Answer Section
- Beneficence: This principle requires healthcare providers to act in the best interests of their patients. In this case, it means providing patients with the information and support they need to make informed decisions about their care.
- Nonmaleficence: This principle requires healthcare providers to avoid doing harm. In this case, it means taking steps to prevent patients from experiencing uncertainty or anxiety about their care.
Ethical Theorists
- Utilitarianism: This ethical theory emphasizes the importance of maximizing overall happiness or well-being. In this case, it would suggest that the healthcare manager should take steps to improve patient satisfaction, as this would lead to an overall increase in well-being.
- Deontology: This ethical theory emphasizes the importance of following moral rules or duties. In this case, it would suggest that the healthcare manager should follow the ethical principles of respect for persons, beneficence, and nonmaleficence, even if this does not necessarily lead to an increase in patient satisfaction.
Application of the AHA's Patient Care Partnership Document
The AHA's Patient Care Partnership document outlines principles for creating a partnership between patients and healthcare providers. Several parts of the document are relevant to this scenario.
- "Patients should be involved in all aspects of their care." This means that patients should be informed about their care options, have the opportunity to ask questions, and be involved in decision-making.
- "Healthcare providers should communicate with patients in a clear, understandable, and respectful way." This means that healthcare providers should use language that patients can understand, avoid jargon, and be respectful of patients' cultural backgrounds.
- "Healthcare providers should work with patients to develop a care plan that meets their individual needs." This means that care plans should be tailored to the specific needs of each patient and should be reviewed and updated regularly.
Application of the ACHE Code of Ethics
The ACHE Code of Ethics outlines ethical principles for healthcare executives. Several parts of the code are relevant to this scenario.
- "Responsibility to the Patient: Healthcare executives must always act in the best interests of patients. This includes providing patients with safe, high-quality care, respecting their rights, and protecting their confidentiality."
- "Integrity: Healthcare executives must be honest, truthful, and ethical in all their dealings. They must avoid conflicts of interest and must not engage in any behavior that could compromise their professional judgment."
- "Accountability: Healthcare executives are accountable for their actions and decisions. They must be transparent and open to scrutiny, and they must be willing to take responsibility for their mistakes."
Action Plan
To address the low patient satisfaction scores, the healthcare manager can implement the following action plan:
- Develop a patient communication plan: This plan should outline how the hospital will communicate with patients about their care. It should include strategies for informing patients about their treatment options, answering their questions, and addressing their concerns.
- Train staff on patient communication: All staff who interact with patients should receive training on how to communicate effectively. This training should cover topics such as active listening, empathy, and cultural sensitivity.
- Implement a patient feedback system: The hospital should implement a system for collecting feedback from patients. This feedback can be used to identify areas where the hospital can improve its communication and patient satisfaction.
- Empower patients to participate in their care: The hospital should take steps to empower patients to participate in their care. This can include providing patients with educational materials, encouraging them to ask questions, and involving them in decision-making.
- Hold staff accountable: The hospital should hold staff accountable for communicating effectively with patients. This may include performance reviews, feedback from patients, and disciplinary action for staff who fail to communicate effectively.
By implementing these steps, the healthcare manager can demonstrate to JCAHO that the hospital is serious about improving patient satisfaction.