35th MDG Patient Advocate Program provides quality customer care

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Jessica Lockoski
  • 35th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan --  Several thousands of patients frequent the 35th Medical Group hospital each month. To better suit their needs, the patient advocate program is designed to ensure access to quality healthcare and help with each customer's clinical policies, procedures, compliments, complaints, and suggestions.

"Anytime a patient feels their needs aren't being met, we would like them to voice their concerns to a patient advocate," said Robert Ramsey, 35th MDG Quality Services director. 

Anywhere patients are being seen, there is an advocate assigned to that area of the hospital, he added, such as family medicine, TRICARE, radiology or the dental clinic. A picture of them and contact information should be posted on the wall in each section. Patients are welcome to contact a patient advocate at any time to discuss their situation.

While patient advocates are appointed by their respective flight commanders, the Airmen and civilians on the MDG staff also play a role in the program's process.

"In a sense, everyone who works for the hospital staff is a patient advocate, from the Medical Group commander, Col. Guillermo Tellez, all the way down to our brand new Airmen, said Mr. Ramsey. "A part of their command orientation is training in customer service."

Patients are recommended to address their issues at the lowest level.

"If there is an issue, such as the way someone was greeted at a front desk or maybe it's the wait time a patient has for their appointment, the chief of that section or the NCO in charge knows their section's processes the best," said Dr. (Maj.) Charles Wanker, 35th MDG chief of medical staff. "They are more able to answer and help resolve any patient complaints at their level."

Issues not resolved immediately are brought up to a higher echelon through the help of Mr. Ramsey and an executive committee. The patient advocate program also offers another avenue for those who don't feel comfortable discussing their concerns openly.

"We have comment boxes throughout the hospital, so patient can fill out cards," said Mr. Ramsey."

Cards are collected and logged weekly; however, anonymous cards are considered to be comments and not complaints because there is no way for the patient to be contacted with a resolution, he added.

"I have yet to see anything that hasn't been resolved here at Misawa," said Mr. Ramsey. "I think we have a successful program - we have over several hundred comments for the year, and that shows me that patients feel comfortable using that system."

To ensure patients' concerns are addressed, patients are encouraged to leave their contact information to receive a follow up.

"The more specific (the card is) the better, it allows us to look at our processes and change something," said Major Wanker. "There are very few things we can do with a general complaint, unless we see it's a trend."

The program's process in resolving issues are two-fold and is meant to benefit not only the patient, but hospital's doctors, nurses, technicians and staff.

"Half of medicine is explaining to your patients what is going on, what you are thinking, and what the treatment plan is," said Major Wanker. "If healthcare professionals are not clearly explaining it, patients may try to seek information on their own, and they may not get the best information for self-treatment."

The feedback from the patients allows the staff to evaluate their processes.

"Maybe it's something we can do better on a one-on-one perspective: from a physician, nurse, technician - to patient perspective," said the major. "Or, it may be a service the hospital as the medical group can do better."

"To better serve our patients, our focus is to keep patients informed, and make sure we understand they know what is going on with their healthcare," he added.