Five star service model
Who would have thought that checking into hospital would become much like the experience of checking into a five star hotel?
The changing face of health care delivery has made this a reality and Mater Private Hospital Brisbane (MPHB) is ensuring that it is at the forefront of this cutting-edge development.
In May 2007, MPHB launched the Mater Private Patient Care Partnership Service Model in two of its wards. The service model subscribes to an ethos of five star care centred on meeting and then exceeding increasing patient expectations of hospital care.
Under the model, patients are welcomed into a hospital environment that is best described as a clinical hotel—their every need is given priority, making them feel that nothing is too much trouble.
They enjoy a five star hospitality experience whilst receiving excellence in clinical care. Their emotional and spiritual needs are personally catered for and their families and carers are welcomed into their hospital journey and supported throughout the process.
Mater Private Hospital Service Improvement Manager Lysanda Hollands, who coordinated the rollout of this new service model, said it has positive implications for the hospital team as well as for patients.
“Nurses, Visiting Medical Officers (VMO) and non-clinical service providers all feel more valued and better able to fulfil their roles under this mode of service delivery,” she said.
“Nurses have told us that the changing dynamics of health care delivery, such as increased complexity of care, reduced lengths of stay and increasing patient expectations is making their work too demanding. VMOs too are feeling the effects of nurses being overstretched—they are missing out on the level of support they need.”
“Through this new model, support roles such as the Personal Assistant, Guest Services Assistant and the Dining Host are introduced to the hospital team to cater for all patient needs and take pressure off nursing staff.
“Nurses are therefore left to focus on delivering exceptional clinical care and supporting their clinical colleagues,” Ms Hollands concluded.
MPHB undertook a three-month showcase trial of the new service model, during which patient and staff satisfaction was assessed. It is expected that the Mater Private Patient Care Partnership Service Model will be introduced in all wards at MPHB and Mater Private Hospital Redland (MPHR) during the next 18 months.
A guide to the Mater Private Patient Care Partnership Service Model
- Patients receive a five star hospitality experience.
- Each patient is made to feel as though they are the only patient.
- Nurses are valued for their clinical expertise—they are given the time to focus on delivering exceptional clinical care and helping to develop clinical solutions.
- VMOs are supported by a strong clinical partnership with devoted, expert nurses.
- A key group of non-clinical care providers including Personal Assistants, Guest Services Assistants and Dining Hosts support the clinical component of a patient’s hospital stay with personalised hospitality care.
- Every step in the patient’s hospital journey is undertaken with their full understanding, involvement and choice.
