BY: CLAIRE KIM
Being in a hospital, patients are often subjected to rough experiences. From the fear of one’s illness to the rude behavior of the employees, patients often leave the hospital feeling reassured about their health yet disappointed by the physicians that aided them throughout the process. Nurses, more particularly doctors, are known to be somewhat careless in their actions and attitudes because they claim to be “busy”. However, such excuses do not apply to any situation when one’s job is to help the vulnerable get better not the other way around.
Though known through the media, many hospitals have failed to understand why their service ratings are so low in comparison to the numerical data gathered by the hospitals themselves. Employees have not received the correct training for their attitudes as ignoring patient’s calls and showing a pissed off face has become a regular sight in many.
Stubborn to believe this, secret shoppers have taken it upon themselves to host an investigation in which they pretended to be “sick patients” to see what the so-called “hell-like ” experience was. Based on their observations, they could confirm that a fair number of employees were doing their jobs correctly but not in the most friendly manner. Coming late to their check-ups, ignoring their patient’s concerns, and losing attention to details are all major setbacks health employees have shown from the secret shopper’s perspective. This must be changed.
Patients are paying hundreds of thousands of dollars each day to get the bare minimum at a hospital: treatment. To finish this successfully, health employees, including high-ego doctors, need to step back and give patients the respect that they deserve when they are hospitalized. A “Sorry” isn’t enough. Actions and facial expressions must be changed.
claire kim. 