Patients think better of their hospitals

PATIENT satisfaction with care and services at Western Health’s Sunshine, Williamstown and Footscray hospitals has improved marginally, despite being the lowest of large metropolitan hospitals.

Annual voluntary surveys ask patients to rate their time in hospital on services such as admission, care provided by doctors and nurses, complaints management, meals, physical environment, and discharge and follow-up.

More than 28,000 surveys were completed by patients across Victoria in 2010-11.

The survey rates hospital satisfaction out of 100 from ‘poor’ (20-40 out of 100), ‘fair’ (41-60 out of 100), ‘good’ (61-80 out of 100) and ‘very good’ (80- 100 out of 100).

Sunshine rated 69.1 out of 100, up from 68.3 the previous year.

Footscray hospital improved from 69.4 to 70.4. Williamstown climbed from 76 to 78.

Areas for improvement included food quality, storage facilities, waiting room comfort, restfulness of the hospital, and meals temperature.