News and event information for Williams Lake, BC - as it happens.

An independent provincewide survey of acute care inpatient services indicates that 92 per cent of patients surveyed rate the overall quality of care they received at British Columbian hospitals as good to excellent. The results are consistent with the Canadian score of 93 per cent as well as the first survey of acute care in British Columbia four years ago.

“The results of this survey clearly demonstrate that the vast majority of British Columbians are satisfied with the quality of acute care that they receive,” said Health Services Minister Kevin Falcon. “The high level of satisfaction is a reflection of the efforts of our doctors, nurses and other front line health workers whose day-in and day-out commitment is to be applauded.”

Each year, more than 230,000 adults are admitted as inpatients to hospital in British Columbia. The survey was designed to support accountability and quality improvement and help government and health authorities respond to the health-care needs of British Columbians. The latest survey is the second to measure patient satisfaction with acute inpatient care, following the first conducted in 2005.

The survey was based on acute care inpatient discharges between Oct. 1, 2008, and Dec. 31, 2008, and took into account 17,389 patient responses. Highlights of the 2008 survey findings include:

· 94.3 per cent of respondents would definitely or probably recommend their acute care facility to family or friends.

· Over 93 per cent reported that physicians, nurses, and admitting staff were courteous.

· 92.1 per cent rated the overall quality of care as excellent, very good or good.

· 87 per cent rated the availability of nurses as excellent, very good or good.

· 82.6 per cent rated the availability of doctors as excellent, very good or good.

“The survey can help identify areas to improve upon and will help us continue to work to enhance British Columbia’s world-class health care system and ensure it is sustainable for future generations,” added Falcon. “Our government was the first in British Columbia to undertake these patient surveys because we believe in transparency and accountability.”

The surveys are one component of the province’s commitment to quality improvement in patient care, which includes the introduction of the Patient Care Quality Review Boards and the BC Patient Safety and Quality Council.

NRC+Picker Canada, a subsidiary of an international research firm, conducted the survey. A total of 17,389 inpatients responded to the survey, which is a response rate of 53 per cent. The responses provide a record of the acute care received across 78 facilities in British Columbia.

The previous acute care survey was completed by 23,185 people between Sep. 30, 2005 and Apr. 15, 2006. Highlights of the 2005 survey findings include:

· 94 per cent of respondents would definitely or probably recommend their acute care facility to family or friends.

· Over 93 per cent reported that physicians, nurses, and admitting staff were courteous.

· 91.7 per cent rated the overall quality of care as excellent, very good or good.

· 86.8 per cent rated the availability of nurses as excellent, very good or good.

· 83.1 per cent rated the availability of doctors as excellent, very good or good.

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