Dubai Healthcare City high on happiness meter

Dubai - Participants at the DHCC Patient Satisfaction Survey said they would recommend DHCC clinics and hospitals to their family, friends and colleagues.

Nine out of 10 patients who visit Dubai Healthcare City (DHCC) say they are happy with the calibre of staff and healthcare professionals on hand.
Of the 500 face-to-face patient interviews conducted in the DHCC Patient Satisfaction Survey 2014-15, 86 per cent said they would recommend DHCC clinics and hospitals to their family, friends and colleagues.
The survey measured patients' experience of received care and identified the main drivers of satisfaction measuring responses of four main indicators including: facilities and premises; appointment process; hospital/clinic staff; and referrals.
According to the results, interaction with hospital and clinical staff proved to be the biggest area for patient satisfaction, with easy appointment processing coming in at a close second.

Care/treatment, and safety and hygiene also featured high on the satisfaction list.
The survey was distributed across six categories of hospitals and clinics in DHCC and provided insights into the patient profile.
Asian expatriates represented 36 per cent of the respondents, followed by Arab expatriates at 29 per cent, Emiratis at 16 per cent, Western expatriates at 12 per cent and the remaining seven per cent represented by other nationalities.
The top three reasons for visiting DHCC were pre-scheduled appointments, followed by check-ups for a current medical condition and routine check-ups.
The smaller clinics proved to be a bigger hit among patients compared to bigger clinics and hospitals as the majority of the patients visiting smaller clinics said they were left feeling better informed.
Many said they were informed about cost, risks and possible outcomes of the treatment they were receiving. Whereas, patients from medium to large clinical facilities were observed to be relatively less informed.
The identified areas to increase satisfaction included directions/signage within and outside of DHCC and an external factor - access to public transport.
Dr Raja Al Gurg, Vice-Chairperson and Executive Director of Dubai Healthcare City Authority, said surveys are an important tool to achieve high satisfaction scores.
"The (survey) results are also important to measure performance and make continuous improvements. In this, we are proud to have maintained a high level of satisfaction."
Speaking about the positive results, Dr Ramadan Al Blooshi, Managing Director, Dubai Healthcare City Authority - Regulatory, said the survey is as much about getting the patient involved as it is using their feedback to improve patient satisfaction.
"Through this, we can look into areas of concern in hospitals and clinics. We are very pleased that a small proportion of complaints were registered at hospitals/clinics in Dubai Healthcare City." reporters@khaleejtimes.com