Description
The project proposes a community audit of patient services rendered by hospitals in Poland. Specifically, a consumer quality tests will be conducted in 5 hospitals in Warsaw. The goal of the project is to design and develop quality testing tools for hospital services and a survey methodology to be applied in quality research to be completed for all hospital in Poland in the future. The project will be realised in partnership with the University of Warsaw - The Robert B. Zajonc Institute for Social Studies, which will design the professional research survey, support the research process, analyse data and participate in drafting the report and recommendations. The findings of this quality test will be published in one general and 5 specific reports. Moreover, the project will develop a report containing recommendations and corrective action plans for each of the five hospitals. Efforts will be made to ensure that these plans are put in place. Recommendations will also be developed for the Health Ministry and the National Health Fund in an effort to seek the implementation of a needs-based approach to funding hospitals in the country.
Summary of project results
Initiatives evaluating healthcare institutions to improve the quality of healthcare in Poland have been led for years. But very few changes introduced in the healthcare system were based on the analysis of opinions of patients. However, patients - the main beneficiaries of the system, should have a real influence on it its development. The aim of the project was to improve the quality of services for patients in hospitals through developing and testing a standardised questionnaire for patients to evaluate hospitals in Poland. In 5 hospitals in Warsaw questionnaire surveys were conducted with patients or guardians of under-age patients. Based on their results, analyses were prepared to develop reports on each of the units. Individual improvement programs were prepared and presented to directors and personnel of the hospitals. The results of the evaluations and recommendations for changes were published in a summary report. The comparative part of the report was intended as a tool to motivate hospitals to improve the quality of their activities. At the end of the project, a conference was organised where the questionnaires and methods to gather opinions from patients tested by hospitals under the project were promoted. Pilot activities led in hospitals in Warsaw resulted in development of a set of questionnaires that were forwarded to institutions supervising hospitals - the National Healthcare Fund, the Ministry of Health and the Centre for Quality Monitoring. As a result of the project, legal changes were introduced allowing for additional promotion of healthcare units, also based on opinions from patients. Sensitising decision-makers to the opinions from patients forms an important result of the project. The implementation of the project will benefit patients from hospitals all over Poland. The project partner was responsible for designing the questionnaire, conducting the survey and analysing its results. In addition, the partner prepared five partial reports and the summary report.
Summary of bilateral results