Potential For Quality Improvement In The Obstetrics And Gynecology Emergency Unit; Kasr El Aini Hospitals

Abstract

Improving the quality of care in Obstetrics and Gynecology emergency units is one approach to improve the outcome of pregnancy and the •outcome of the patients' hospital experience. The current study aims at examining some of the aspects of care which contribute to the quality of the services provided at the Cairo University Hospital Obstetrics and Gynecology emergency unit. These include client satisfaction, hospital ted utilization, and the emergency unit protocol of management. Te 'current study is a descriptive one conducted .during July I August 1998. A sample of 200 clients was selected and subjected to an interview using a standard questionnaire fonn. Analysis of the data showed that overall satisfaction with the service was high; as 89% of the clients said they would advise others to come to CUH ( Obs. & Gyn. E.U. ) while 84% •expressed the intention to return for services when needed in the future and 55.5% would come for follow up. When questioned about their -recommendations for improvement, performance of the service providers was given priority with nurses mentioned by 25% of the patients, doctors :by 17.5%, and housekeepers by 16% of the patients. The need for more 'COnvenient visiting hours was mentioned by 10% of the patients. As for hospital bed utilization, the marked increase in the number of admissions to the CUH ( Obs. & Gyn. E.U. ) in the past few years led to a high bed occupancy rate (above 90%) and a reduction in the duration of hospital stay as well as the bed tum over interval. This has an adverse effect upon the time allocated to each patient b_v the hospital staff and the quality of the hotel services leading to patient dissatisfaction. The study recommends decreasing the bed occupancy rate in the Obs. & Gyn. E.U. in order to improve performance of the staff and to provide a satisfactory level of hotel services with the aim of increasing client satisfaction.