UEW Health Services Directorate Trains Staff on Customer Care to Enhance Patient Experience
The Directorate of Health Services at the University of Education, Winneba (UEW), in collaboration with the Division of Human Resource (HR), has organised a training workshop on quality customer care aimed at improving patient satisfaction and healthcare delivery.
The event was held on Thursday, 25th July, 2024, at the Registrar’s Conference Room. The workshop sought to equip UEW healthcare practitioners and administrative staff with essential skills to meet patient needs and achieve health targets.
Ms. Georgina Tibu, Assistant Registrar at HR, UEW, emphasised the critical role of customer care in healthcare, stating that a patient's experience could lead to either loyalty or dissatisfaction. She highlighted the importance of understanding client expectations and delivering quality service to meet those expectations.
Dr. John Kanyiri Yambah, Director of UEW Health Services, welcomed participants and noted that the training aligns with the Central Regional Health Team's efforts to enhance patient-client relations.
He urged participants to take the session seriously, stressing the need for improved attitudes and practices towards patients and the importance of continuous learning and improvement.
Mr. Steve van Kamassah, Deputy Registrar at the Division of Publications and Communication, UEW, and a customer care expert, presented on customer care in the healthcare setting. He highlighted its impact on patient satisfaction, clinical outcomes, and patient retention.
He accentuated the need for healthcare providers to understand patient needs, manage expectations, handle complaints and feedback effectively, and develop cultural competencies. He remarked, "Customer care is about building an emotional connection with patients, recognising their concerns, fears, and needs, and providing empathy and understanding. High-quality customer care leads to higher patient satisfaction, improved clinical outcomes, and reduced patient anxiety and stress."
Mr. Kamassah guided participants through the role of technology in enhancing customer care, including telemedicine, patient portals, and electronic health records. "Measuring patient satisfaction is critical to identifying strengths and areas for improvement in healthcare services," he noted.
Dr. Fred Yao Gbagbo, Head of the Department for Health Administration and Education at UEW, discussed customer care as an integral part of health services. He pointed out that customer care involves meeting patients' technical and personal needs, such as respect, dignity, and timely service delivery.
"Understanding patients' needs and expectations is key to providing customer-centered care. Healthcare providers must exhibit professionalism, teamwork, innovation, and compassion to meet these needs,” he stated.
Dr. Gbagbo also noted that poor public perception of healthcare workers could negatively impact the corporate image of healthcare services, staff morale, and patient satisfaction. He stressed the importance of first impressions, visual appearance, and non-verbal communication in building patient trust and confidence.
Mr. Isaac Darkoh, Assistant Registrar and a health administrator at UEW Clinic, presented on creating a healing environment as part of customer care. He highlighted that a well-designed medical environment plays a vital role in the healing process of patients, encompassing not only the physical space but also staff relationships and their health-creating behaviours.
He pointed out the importance of a welcoming ambience, appropriate spatial designs, and clear signs and symbols in creating a supportive environment. "A healing environment can significantly improve a patient's mood, recovery, satisfaction, and quality of experience. Healthcare organisations must learn from the guest services industry and create a clean, safe, and easy-to-use environment," Mr. Darkoh said. He also stressed the importance of considering moderators such as age, cultural background, and physical abilities when designing a service space.
The workshop concluded with participants engaging in lively discussions, reflecting the strong commitment of UEW healthcare practitioners and administrative staff to enhance patient satisfaction and healthcare delivery through improved customer care practices.
