Pay attention to patient satisfaction — Minister advises Korle Bu board

THE Minister of Health, Dr Benjamin Kunbuor, has urged the board and management of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) to institute practical and effective measures to reduce patient dissatisfaction.
At an open day and an exhibition organised by the hospital in Accra as part of its Founder's Day celebrations, Dr Kunbuor said the ministry continued to receive patients’ complaints about the attitude of the staff and the failure of some staff members to effectively communicate with patients.
Dr Kunbuor said the KBTH, without doubt, was the leading teaching hospital and national referral centre and so there was the need to improve the quality of services it provided to all patients who sought health care there, irrespective of their societal standing.
The health minister, however, indicated that he was aware of the challenges facing the hospital and gave the assurance that steps were being taken to address them.
Dr Kunbuor said the Ministry of Health was working to secure funding for the various projects, including the $60 million new emergency centre complex.
To recognise deserving health workers and institutions that excelled in the provision of health care, Dr Kunbuor said the ministry would soon launch health awards scheme.
He said the rational was to deepen the culture of excellence in the health sector by both the staff and facilities, adding that “when the award takes off, we will have yet another opportunity to take a closer look at the work you do".
The Board Chairman of the KBTH, Professor Seth Ayettey, said the objective of the event was to open up activities and operations of the hospital and present its challenges to the public.
Prof Ayettey said KBTH primarily offered tertiary health care, provided training to health professionals and undertook research in collaboration with the College of Health Sciences of the University of Ghana, among other functions.