MOSSEL BAY NEWS - "Comprehensive quality care has always been our priority at Life Bay View Hospital and we are continuously working hard to encourage staff to embrace our culture of caring."
This was hospital manager Lida Swart's response to the news that the hospital is in the top 20 best private hospitals in the country.
Patients voted Life Bay View hospital in Mossel Bay as one of the top 20 best private hospitals despite the extensive renovations during the past months that at times must have created trying conditions for both patients and staff.
Mediclinic George is also in the top 20 of the 136 hospitals polled.
Swart said the announcement came as a complete surprise considering the building work and upgrading that was done to the hospital at the time of the survey.
"To be ranked in the top 20 despite the frustrations typical of a building project is indeed remarkable and every patient and service provider, not to mention friends and family who visited patients at Life Bay View Hospital during this period deserve our sincerest gratitude.
"I have to single out the management team and every single member of staff who made possible conditions that led to the hospital's excellent ranking. They are the people who work endless hours selflessly to ensure the quality care expected of us, and who live up to the expectations of both our patients and their loved ones.
"I sincerely thank all the doctors and the rest of the multi-disciplinary team affiliated to the hospital. Their caring and quality care is indispensable as most patients experience the doctors and additional services as part and parcel of the hospital and their actions affect our outcomes.
"Our staff and the medical practitioners affiliated with our hospitals do not merely treat the symptoms of a disease, they realise the environment they work in daily is regarded as intimidating by most patients, people who are at their most vulnerable when they visit our facilities. For this reason Life Hospitals last year implemented the CARE-programme to specifically focus on the soft issues associated with medical care.
"As management we realise we cannot possibly live up to everyone's best expectation, and we therefore invite anyone to share their constructive criticism with us so it may be incorporated into the learning culture we embrace."
The poll was conducted among adult medical scheme members upon discharge from the hospital as part of the most recent Discovery Health Patient Survey Score (PaSS) initiative, now in its third year. Discovery Health is the largest open medical scheme in the country.
The globally validated survey allowed patients to express their views of the care they experienced during their stay in hospital.
"Measuring quality of care, including patient experience, is standard practice in healthcare systems around the world," says head of quality of care at Discovery Health, Dr Roshini Moodley Naidoo. "Truly best-in-class healthcare systems are those that are nimble and constantly learning and improving. By measuring and improving quality of care, we aspire to be a healthcare system of sustained excellence."
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