Patients
Mediclinic is implementing flexible visiting hours as part of continuous efforts aimed at enhancing the patient journey.
Visits from friends and family form an integral part of the healing process, but have long been limited to predetermined visiting hours. But in keeping with international trends and as part of its commitment to putting its patients first, Mediclinic is transforming by working towards the introduction of flexible visiting hours.
National Patient Experience Manager for Mediclinic Southern Africa, Kevin Seaman, says the move to flexible visiting hours is in keeping with Mediclinic’s focus on improving the patient experience.
‘This is something we’ve been working on for a while. Findings from the Patient Experience Index (PEI), which uses patient feedback to measure and improve the patient experience, have strengthened our resolve,’ he says.
Power of family
Listening to what the patient wants is imperative. ‘You can’t have a superior patient experience without engaging with a patient,’ says Seaman. ‘It’s been proven internationally that a patient does better when they have a loved one sitting next to them, both in specialised units and general wards. Family members form a close support structure and they are an integral part of the wellness process – they must be involved.’
There are also practical considerations. Given how rushed and busy people’s lives have become, it is unrealistic to expect visitors to come only at set times, especially during the day.
There is an important distinction, though, says Seaman. ‘It’s flexible visiting hours, not open visiting hours. The aim is to implement visiting hours from 9am to 8pm, with time for rest from 1pm until 3pm in the afternoons. This is because we need to create a recuperative environment for patients. During these two hours we reduce noise, dim the lights and so on, but the rest of the time we try to accommodate as much contact as possible between patients and their loved ones.’
Change management
The changes needed to make flexible visiting hours a reality have required an extended rollout of the new policy. While some hospitals have been adopting these hours since December 2015, others are still working towards them and it is set to be implemented throughout the organisation by March 2017.
‘A great deal of change management goes into this and that the clinical staff, including doctors, need to be sensitised. Visitors also need to be managed,’ explains Seaman. ‘While it’s easy having five people visiting a patient in a private room, this could be intrusive for patients in a double room or general ward when other patients’ visitors are present, especially in large numbers. This means we’ll need to control how many visitors there are per bed. By virtue of the patient’s wellness it needs to be a maximum of two people per bed in a general ward and ICU.’
The flexible visiting hours policy signals Mediclinic’s understanding that family visits are important. But it also requires that patients and visitors be respectful of hospital processes. Seaman says, ‘If visitors have come to see a patient, but something clinical or medical needs to happen, then they might be asked to leave. We are adapting our signage to specify that flexible visiting hours could be impacted by doctors’ examinations and so on.’ Visitors need to understand that hours may be restricted for the well being of the patient.
It’s been proven internationally that a patient does better when they have a loved one sitting next to them, both in specialised units and general wards. Family members form a close support structure and they are an integral part of the wellness process.
Individual care
Flexible visiting hours echo the Mediclinic emphasis on individualised care – another point underscored by the PEI findings.
‘It’s about understanding that we have to take greater control, we can’t hide behind policies and procedures and say visiting hours are over. It’s managing on a case-by-case basis,’ explains Seaman.
‘What flexible visiting hours and PEI speak to is that people want and require individualised care. So coming into a patient’s room and explaining that visitors need to leave as the doctor has to examine the patient, or that the patient is exhausted, is a more individualised approach. As opposed to saying visitors must go because it’s 4pm. It demonstrates individual care and understanding of what a patient needs and it puts that patient first.’
Patient and staff response
While visiting hours have been relaxed for some time, staff will need to be active in overseeing the new flexible policy. ‘Going back to rules and regulations can be a source of comfort and that’s our challenge,’ says Seaman.
‘We’ve got to learn to manage each individual situation and not rely on rules and procedures. We understand that this will take some time. Staff will have to take a stronger management approach.
‘We’re trying to facilitate change as smoothly as possible, for example by ensuring that coffee shops are open for longer so that families have somewhere to wait and so on. Patient feedback about flexible visiting hours has been unbelievable so we know we’re on the right track!’