THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, September 28, 1994 TAG: 9409280482
SECTION: MILITARY NEWS PAGE: A10 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY LT. CMDR. STEPHEN ULBRICHT, NAVY NURSE CORPS
LENGTH: Medium: 62 lines
Got a complaint or compliment about the health care you just received? Or do you just want to talk to someone about an idea to improve the delivery of health care? The Patient Relations Department (formerly Patient Liaison Department) at Portsmouth Naval Medical Center is there to take your call.
The Patient Relations Department was established to ensure that our patients' health care is delivered in a professional and courteous manner. The department serves as the patients' direct link to the medical center commander, Rear Adm. William J. McDaniel.
The office is a patient-advocacy department designed to provide an avenue for patients to express positive and negative comments. Patients are given every opportunity to express their concerns and perceptions regarding care they receive as a patient in any one of the acute care facilities, specialty clinics, contractor-operated clinics, and NAVCARE clinics.
In addition to the Patient Relations Department, each department or clinic at the medical center (including branch and contractor-operated clinics) has a patient contact representative available to assist patients. Patient contact representatives serve as an advocate or ombudsman for both patients and staff.
They are the direct link between the patient and the officer-in-charge or department head with regard to compliments or concerns about the care received on the departmental or clinical level.
Members of the Patient Relations Department work with the patients for the patients. Each member of the Patient Relations staff receives TEAM (Treat Everyone As Me) approach training that emphasizes education in human relations, communications, conflict resolution, and methods of handling complaints.
All representatives and their alternates are carefully selected and receive ongoing training in customer relations. Patient contact representatives are also sources of information for our patients, as all representatives keep up to date with any changes affecting the delivery of health care at their respective levels and the Tricare program.
Patients' perceptions of the quality of care received are greatly influenced by the atmosphere in which the health care has been delivered and the attitude of the staff during each visit. Patient confidence in our military health care delivery system and their compliance with medical advice is also influenced by the attitude and communication skills displayed by the staff.
Portsmouth Naval Medical Center values the feedback received from patients and their families and the letters of compliments, grievances and satisfaction surveys.
Patients who desire to express their thoughts, concerns or compliments should first contact the patient contact representative in the clinic or department where care was received. ILLUSTRATION: MAKING CONTACT
The Patient Relations Department, on the first floor of the main
hospital at Portsmouth Naval Medical Center, can be reached at
398-7717 during normal working hours.
by CNB