Feedback Project Focuses On Patients' Needs
The Myeloma Institute for Research and Therapy at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) launched the Patient Initiated Quality Improvement Project in January, a pilot program designed to improve the quality of clinical care and customer service at the center.
Little Rock, AR (PRWEB) March 1, 2006
The Myeloma Institute for Research and Therapy (http://myeloma. uams. edu (http://myeloma. uams. edu)) at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS -- http://www. uams. edu (http://www. uams. edu)) launched the Patient Initiated Quality Improvement Project in January, a pilot program designed to improve the quality of clinical care and customer service at the center.
The six-month project, funded by a grant from the Cynthia and George Mitchell Foundation, involves the analysis of detailed patient feedback by a committee comprised of UAMS staff and Myeloma Institute (http://myeloma. uams. edu (http://myeloma. uams. edu)) patients. A total of 12 patients are providing the committee with electronic feedback regarding their clinical experiences and other aspects of treatment via e-mail, according to Dr. Elias Anaissie, the Myeloma Institute's director of the Supportive Care Division.
"We've encouraged them to take notes while they are going to their appointments, seeing the nurse, seeing the doctor. We want to hear whatever they have to say, the good, the bad and the ugly," said Anaissie, who is on the committee along with Dr. Charles Smith, UAMS' medical director, and two MIRT patients.
All of the patients' remarks are kept confidential, Anaissie said, adding that certain suggestions have already led to improvements in treatment processes.
"The healthcare system in this country and worldwide is not patient-friendly. We believe that the solution is not going to come from Congress or some think tank but from the patient. Empowering the patient as a partner, rather than a passive recipient of care, has the potential to transform healthcare in a most positive way. Patient issues must be taken into consideration and corrective action must be taken if we are to better serve our patients and improve our efficiency," Anaissie said.
Besides the e-mail responses, the committee is also reviewing feedback forms handed out to patients during their clinic visits as well as written suggestions from those patients undergoing stem cell transplants.
"This idea is where the future of medicine is heading," said Smith, who expects similar projects to be utilized in all UAMS clinics in the near future. "The doctor-patient encounter is becoming demystified. This will provide us with guidance on how the system needs to change and make it more sensitive to patient needs."
About the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS):
UAMS is the state's only comprehensive academic health center, with five colleges, a graduate school, a medical center, five centers of excellence and a statewide network of regional centers. UAMS has about 2,320 students and 690 residents and is one of the state's largest public employers with almost 9,000 employees. UAMS and its affiliates have an economic impact in Arkansas of $4.3 billion a year. UAMS centers of excellence are the Arkansas Cancer Research Center (http://www. acrc. uams. edu (http://www. acrc. uams. edu)), Harvey and Bernice Jones Eye Institute (http://www. uams. edu/jei (http://www. uams. edu/jei)), Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging (http://centeronaging. uams. edu (http://centeronaging. uams. edu)), Myeloma Institute for Research and Therapy (http://myeloma. uams. edu/ (http://myeloma. uams. edu/)) and Jackson T. Stephens Spine & Neurosciences Institute (http://www. uams. edu/stephensinstitute (http://www. uams. edu/stephensinstitute)).
Contact:
Leslie W. Taylor, 501-686-8998
Wireless phone: 501-951-7260
Http://www. uams. edu (http://www. uams. edu) / http://myeloma. uams. edu (http://myeloma. uams. edu)
Andrea Peel, 501-686-8996
Wireless phone: 501-351-7903
Http://www. uams. edu (http://www. uams. edu) / http://myeloma. uams. edu (http://myeloma. uams. edu)
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