Nutzerorientierung im krankenhaus: Integrativer ansatz zur erfassung der patientenperspektive für qualitätsverbesserungen

Abstract

In the health care system, patient surveys and management of patient complaints are widely applied for user orientation in quality management systems. Although determining patient satisfaction by using these tools is limited in general, they provide a useful approach for retrospective inquiry and documentation of patients' experiences. Surveying patient perspective issues is suitable for determining one's own strengths and weaknesses, identifying special areas in need of improvement. In order to support the introduction of a quality management system at the university department of dermatology in Münster, both a systematic patient questionnaire was carried out and a feedback-management system was implemented. The patient questionnaire collects quantitative data first to ascertain the degree of individually perceived fulfillment of satisfaction-related items, and secondly to acquire the individually perceived importance of the specified quality dimensions. The feedback-management detects qualitative data of positive and negative meanings from the patients' perspective continually. The integrative approach provided here presents several corresponding results in use of both tools, thereby highlighting some areas of activities with high priority. On the other hand, the results do not allow any interpretations considering the quality of medical care. The major goal is to provide a methodological basis to insure the strengths and to eliminate the weaknesses in service quality. Both tools may contribute to the process of quality improvement in hospital. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart.