HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 1988-04-27, Page 10Page 10—Lucknow Sentinel, Wednesday, April 27, 1988
Patients pleased with hospital, survey shows
Emergency department patients appear
to be pleased with the service provided at
the Wingham and District Hospital accor-
ding to the findings of an Ontario Hospital
Association survey conducted in 1987.
In the study, emergency room patients
at 16 hospitals in the OHA 's Region 2,
which includes Wingham, were asked to
respond to questions about: use of
emergency departments, including fre-
quency, time and reason for use; percep-
tions of emergency departments, in-
cluding a rating of the overall experience;
and ways in which they feel emergency
departments could be improved.
In a comparison of key findings in the
survey, 98 per cent of Wingham's patients
rated the hospital's emergency depart-
ment as good or better, and 59 per cent
rated the quality as excellent. In fact, on
an overall experience rating scale of one to
ten, Wingham and District Hospital at 8.3
is slightly higher than the OHA Survey
average patient response of eight.
Th esurvey shows that the Wingham
hospital experiences a somewhat higher
percentage of patients than the survey
average during the period between 9 a.m.
and 5 p.m. (63 per cent) and in the early
morning hours from midnight to 9 a.m. (10
per cent). The period between 5 p.m. and
midnight is lower (27 per . cent). Most
physicians in the Wingham hospital area
have afternoon and evening office hours
which may account for the difference.
The survey report indicates that overall,
the participating emergency departments
receive 57.5 per cent of their patients bet-
ween 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., 35.2 per cent bet-
ween 5 p.in. and midnight and 7.2 per cent
between midnight and 9 a.m. The survey
also concludes that 60 per cent of these pa-
tients make no attempt to contact a physi-
cian before going to the hospital.
For the most part, any negative com-
ments on the quality of Wingham's
emergency department related mainly to
the time it takes for a patient to be seen by
a physician. The 11 per cent making the
comments were in the 5 p.m. to midnight
and midnight to 9 a.m. groups.
However, hospital officials point out it is
difficult for a physician with a waiting
room full of patients to drop everything
and go to the hospital in the afternoon or
evening, unless it is a life-threatening
situation. In that instance, the medical
staff has an exemplary record for arriving
at the hospital in a very short time.
Of the others surveyed, 88 per cent found
the waiting time acceptable and 20 per
cent even felt it was shorter than they ex-
pected. The hospital also points out the
OHA survey data can be somewhat
misleading because of. the time frames
chosen. For example, the period chosen
from midnight to 9 a.m. includes the time
frame from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. Nursing
personnel at the Wingham emergency
department are available from 7:30 a.m.
and most physicians arrive at the hospital
by8a.m.
If the questionnaires had been more
specific in this regard, it would have
reduced the percentage seen at night and
raised that seen during the day. Almost all
of the Wingham patients surveyed felt that
the emergency department is for life
threatening situations and for problems
which arise when the doctor's office is
closed. Of those surveyed, 98 per cent felt
that it was not right to use emergency
departments for care they could also get
from a doctor's office - unless the office
was closed. These were all younger pa-
tients and their response differs from the
87.2 per cent of the overall OHA survey
group who disagreed and felt it's all right
to do so.
One area of concern for the Wingham
and district Hospital, however, is the
public perception of the order in which pa-
tients are served. Only 20 per cent of those
surveyed felt that the most serious cases
were served first. The largest number, 43
per cent, were of the opinion that the
emergency department operates on a first-
come -first-served basis.
The hospital considers the public percep-
tion puzzling since a sign at the emergency
department reception desk states clearly
that patients are seen in order of priority
and not time of arrival. As a result of this,
the sign is being replaced by a much larger
one. Hospital policy, however,remains un-
changed - a triage of patients establishes
the seriousness of their problems and the
order in which they are seen.
In general, 80 per cent of those surveyed
said Wingham hospital personnel are very
friendly and caring while 20 per cent said
they are -friendly and caring. The hospital
considers this an obvious heavy con-
tributor to the high degree of patient
satisfaction with the service.
Can you help?
Crime Stoppers of Grey Bruce is seeking
the public's assistance in the investigation
of a series of snowmobile thefts in the Sau-
ble Beach area.
The Wiarton detachment of the Ontario
Provincial. Police report that approx-
imately four snowmobiles have been
stolen, while parked in parking lots at local
restaurants in Sauble Beach. The thefts
have occurred between January 31 and
February 15.
On January 31, a 1987 Ski-doo Safari, was
stolen.
On February 7 a 1980 Motoski, orange in
color was stolen from the parking lot of the
Sauble Lodge. On March 10, this machine
was recovered in an area north of
Woodland Park.
On February 14 a 1975 Yamaha 433,
white in color was stolen from the parking
lot of the Wing Ding Restaurant in Sauble,
CRIME.
STOPPERS
1-800-265-3787
also stolen the same evening from the lot
at Knight's Inn, was a 1985 Ski-doo, Safari
377, black and yellow in color.
Only the Motoski has been recovered.
The estimated value of the stolen
machines is $7,000.
If you feel you can help in these or any
other cases, Crime Stoppers of Grey Bruce
is willing to pay a reward up to $1,000 for
information leading to an arrest. Call
Crime Stoppers at 1-800-265-3787. You need
not identify yourself and all information is
strictly confidential.
WE'RE SEARCHING FOR A HEART OF GOLD
Selflessness. Willingness. Understanding.
Qualities you may see in someone you
know. Someone who goes out of his or
her way to make your community a
better place to live.
Air Canada, in partnership with your
community newspaper, would like to
salute these individuals who bring so
much to your community. That's why
we created Air Canada's "Heart of Gold"
Award.
Now's the time to speak out on
behalf of these individuals. Make
your nomination for
Air Canada's "Heart of Gold" Award
today. It's time we all said thanks.
Complete the form below and
include a note, or letter, giving the special
reasons why you feel the person you're
nominating makes your community a
better place to live. Mail it to this
,newspaper care of Air Canada's
"Heart of Gold" Award.
1/
The Lucknow Sentinel
Box 400
Lucknow, NOG 2H0
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in partnership with your community newspaper Cp
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