Galway Bay fm newsroom - A national survey has been published, revealing the experience of patients at Galway's public hospitals last year.
The National Inpatient Experience Survey covers a range of criteria, including admission, hospital environment, care and treatment, staff experiences, COVID-19 and emergency department experiences.
The results of the 2021 survey have been launched today by Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly
The aim of the survey is to find out about patients’ experiences and use their feedback to identify areas of good experience, and areas needing improvement.
It asked patients to rate, out of ten, a wide range of criteria about their time spent in hospital, from beginning to end.
Overall, 83 percent of those surveyed nationwide rated their overall experience of care as good or very good.
Areas of good patient experience included being treated with respect and dignity, cleanliness of rooms and wards, privacy while being examined or treated, confidence and trust in hospital staff, and pain management.
Areas needing improvement included the availability of emotional support, time to discuss care and treatment with a doctor, information on how to manage a condition after leaving hospital, and the opportunity for families to talk to a doctor.
University Hospital Galway was rated 7.2 on Admissions; 7.9 on Care on the Ward; 8.1 on Examinations, Diagnosis and Treatment; 7.1 on Discharge or Transfer; 7.4 on Care During the Pandemic; and 7.8 on overall experience.
Meanwhile, Portiuncula Hospital in Ballinasloe was rated 8 on Admissions; 7.9 on Care on the Ward; 7.5 on Examinations, Diagnosis and Treatment; 6.4 on Discharge or Transfer; 7.2 on Care During the Pandemic; and 7.9 on overall experience.
