Now rate your treatment, doctor experience as GMCH-32 launches patient feedback system

Hospital officials said that complaints and concerns regarding facilities and services often go unheard as patients and their families either hesitate to approach authorities or do not know where to report issues. The new feedback system, they said, is intended to bridge this gap by offering a simple, structured and transparent platform for communication.

Through the feedback form, patients can rate their experience on a scale of 1 to 4, where 1 indicates ‘below expectations’, 2 ‘satisfactory’, 3 ‘good’ and 4 ‘very good’. The questionnaire has been divided into four modules covering different aspects of the hospital experience.

The first module focuses on registration and waiting time, asking patients to assess the ease of the registration or appointment process, the time taken to see a doctor, and the availability of basic amenities such as drinking water and seating areas. Officials said this section will help identify bottlenecks in patient flow and areas where infrastructural support needs to be strengthened.  The second module evaluates clinical care, including interaction with doctors and nursing staff, clarity of communication, and overall satisfaction with treatment. The third section covers support services such as diagnostic facilities and other allied services that form an essential part of patient care. The final module asks patients to rate their overall experience at GMCH-32.

Hospital authorities believe that the structured nature of the feedback will allow them to analyse patterns rather than respond only to isolated complaints, and the system will help them understand what patients are experiencing on the ground and where improvements are needed.

Continuous feedback, said an official, is critical for quality enhancement in healthcare delivery. GMCH-32 officials also emphasised that the feedback mechanism is not a one-time exercise but part of an ongoing patient experience assessment process. The data collected will be reviewed periodically to guide policy decisions and administrative reforms within the hospital. The feedback initiative is part of a broader digital transformation underway at GMCH-32. Over the past few years, the hospital has been steadily moving towards digitisation to reduce paperwork, streamline processes and improve efficiency.

The upcoming e-hospital system, which is in its final stages of implementation, is expected to significantly change how patients interact with the hospital. Once operational, the e-hospital system will digitise the entire patient journey, from registration and appointment scheduling to prescriptions and medical records. This is expected to reduce long queues, minimise paperwork and save time for both patients and healthcare providers.

GMCH-32 Director-Principal Dr GP Thami said that several digital systems are already in place at the hospital. “The e-office system has been implemented, which has made administrative functioning more professional and efficient. Only a few branches, such as accounts and purchasing, are left to be integrated. Once that is done, the entire administrative workflow will be fully digital,” he said.

Thami added that the e-hospital system would particularly benefit patients with an Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA) ID. “Patients with an ABHA ID will not need to carry physical cards. Through menu-based registration, their complete medical history, investigation reports, prescriptions and treatment details will be securely available in the system,” he said.

Hospital officials said that combining the patient feedback system with the upcoming e-hospital platform reflects a shift towards data-driven healthcare management.