Attitude of doctors and managers of outpatient healthcare facilities on received complaints

Overview

The complaints area in the health sector is not a regular public topic. Patients know how and where to complain, but it is not possible to find out how many complaints a particular physician has received, for what reason, or whether they are incentive for the provider to implement changes. In the research conducted, the questions were directed to two groups of respondents from the outpatient sphere. These were ambulant private doctors and managers of medium and large outpatient facilities in the Czech Republic. The answers to three questions in both groups of respondents were evaluated. Interest was focused on whether they are willing to disclose the number of complaints received, whether complaints are a source of change for them, and whether changes are being implemented. The second part of the survey focused on the number of legitimate, partially justified and unjustified complaints and the reasons for the complaints received in one of the medium and large health facilities were mapped. The results showed statistically significant differences in the responses of both groups of respondents. The results showed that neither group of respondents is willing to publish the number of complaints. The suggestion to change and implement changes was more strongly confirmed by a group of managers. The second part shows that there are more unjustified complaints and the most frequent reason for the complaints received is the inappropriate behaviour of healthcare workers.

Keywords:

complaints – outpatient sphere – private surgery – medium and large healthcare providers – implementing changes