A patient complaint process should be an integral part of the hospital administration systems, and should be contained in the general information given to patients on their admission to hospital .(QS-15)The patients right to make a complaint should be enshrined in hospital policies and procedures, and that includes feedback to the patient on what action, if any the hospital intends to take concerning the complaint. Patients complaints when considered objectively can lead to significant improvements in hospital processes and the quality of care, and therefore the image of the hospital. Patients should not be afraid to make complaints, particularly about the standards of treatment a hospital provides.
Part of the customer focus that is adopted by countries to improve the image of hospitals is to develop a questionnaire (QS-9-14) that is utilised by the patients and staff to ensure that the service the hospital is providing to the public is consistent and safe. The patients and staff provide information on any and every service within the hospital. The survey is sent on to the quality department for collation, evaluation and action. As indicated above the implementation of this standard, can significantly improve the process a hospital may utilise for excellent patient care.
A written patients charter (QS-15) is a convenient means of advising patients of their rights when entering hospital. The hospital will expect patients to make complaints through the designated procedures available. Patient's rights and responsibilities can be encapsulated within one patient's charter. The adoption of this process ensures that the customer, that is the patient, is included in the decisions that are made within the hospital through the patient feedback process. Quality standards have embedded within them such outcomes as ethics committees (QS-16 ) to consider ethical matters, confidentiality issues (QS-16-17-18 ), and the right to have a second medical opinion and the right to privacy for the patient and relatives (QS-17-18 ).