Shahram Samadi, Mohamad Sadegh Khabbaz, Fariba Asghari, Omid Nabavian, Ghasemali Khorasani, Jalil Makarem,
Volume 8, Issue 2 (7-2015)
Abstract
The present study is an overview of the causes of patient complaints against physicians and the medical staff in Imam Khomeini Hospital Complex, and strategies to reduce the complaints. For this purpose, complaints that had been filed with the clinical governance office of Imam Khomeini Hospital Complex in 2012 and 2013 were investigated. The information in the forms included age and sex of the plaintiffs, their level of education, type of complaint and similar details. Of the 309 complaints, 174 had been recorded in 2012 and 135 in 2013. The plaintiffs were males with a mean age of 50.5, and 69.6% of them had high school diplomas or lower. Most (16.2%) of the complaints pertained to the emergency department, while 48.5% and 22.7% of the complaints were related to doctors and nurses respectively. In 62.5% of the cases, the accused had been acquitted and 34% had been convicted. The main cause of complaint involved treatment and care at 40.1% and 36.6% respectively. In general, the most common causes of complaints were treatment and care for doctors, and lack of respect for nurses and others. Thus, more attention should be paid to the continuous education of medical students and residents during training years in order to increase the knowledge and skills of physicians. Other measures that can reduce complaints are: providing sufficient information to patients before diagnostic or therapeutic procedures improving the equipment in health centers educating the society and raising public awareness of the treatment process offering the necessary information during medical procedures obtaining informed consent careful choice of the medical team and assigning them to the right position and holding communication skills workshops.
Mohaddeseh Mohsenpour, Amir Zoka, Fahimeh Amani, Elham Charoghchian Khorasani, Seyyed Javad Hosseini,
Volume 17, Issue 0 (Supplement of 11th Annual Iranian Congress of Medical Ethics 2024)
Abstract
Societies that fail to adequately address the growing needs of the elderly and the consequences of aging will face significant challenges. A critical challenge in many countries involves ensuring the provision of accessible and affordable healthcare services for the elderly. The active engagement of older adults in seeking healthcare services and adhering to preventive care measures is crucial for reducing healthcare costs. This study aimed to elucidate the lived experiences of elderly individuals regarding the factors influencing their utilization of primary healthcare services in Mashhad, Iran. This qualitative study employed content analysis. Participants were recruited through snowball sampling from a list of elderly individuals registered with health centers in Mashhad, including those who regularly utilized services and those who had not visited in the past two years. Eighteen elderly individuals participated in the study. Data were collected through in-depth interviews using open-ended questions and subsequent probing. Interview transcripts were analyzed using Bernard's formal content analysis approach. A significant barrier to accessing healthcare services identified by elderly participants was a lack of dignity during their visits to health centers. This theme encompassed two subcategories: perceived dignity violation and observed dignity violation. The imposition of feelings of worthlessness on the elderly was recognized as a prevalent cultural issue within society. Factors contributing to a diminished sense of dignity included: inadequate physical space to accommodate the limitations of the elderly, informal and unprofessional behavior of healthcare providers, excessive waiting times, unsanitary and overcrowded health centers, a lack of appointment scheduling, disruptions in internet and software systems that prolonged the healthcare process, shared waiting spaces with infants and young people, and insufficient seating. Participants emphasized the detrimental impact of a lack of dignity in healthcare settings, expressing feelings of worthlessness. These findings corroborate those of previous studies highlighting the paramount importance of dignity in healthcare environments. The perception among elderly individuals that healthcare services prioritize administrative processes over patient-centered care may discourage them from seeking preventive services. This study underscores the critical need for a cultural shift within healthcare systems to prioritize the dignity and respect of elderly patients and foster a supportive environment that encourages preventive care.
