Blockchain Implications in the Management of Patient Complaints in Healthcare

Blockchain is an emerging technology that has recently been the focus for many researchers who have highlighted its diverse applications including healthcare. Transparency in managing unsolicited patient complaints is important in healthcare for both patients and healthcare providers;in addition, patient complaints analysis is significant to the continued quality improvement. Accordingly, the purpose of this study is to understand the nature of patient complaints management in the healthcare settings, explore the implications of blockchain on the management of patient complaints, and identify limitations in the usage of blockchain. Structured qualitative review and content analysis of the literature methods were used through multiple inclusion and exclusion phases for the scope of this research. Blockchain technology characteristics have been analyzed and approximated with desired features in the patients’ complaint management. Patient complaints provide valuable information to drive continuous improvements in healthcare. Blockchain is described as transparent, decentralized, immutable and anonymous. Results of this research found that a complaint Management system that is built on blockchain technology might have desired features that involve data integrity, security and transparency. Blockchain does have certain limitations that involve cybersecurity, scalability, confidentiality, readiness to adopt it, and is uncertainty about its impact. As a conclusion, implementing a system to manage patient complaints that is based on blockchain technology is promising, due to its desired possible features.

Development of Patient Rights and Analysis of Patient Complaints in Turkey

The aim of this study is to identify the development of patient rights in Turkey and to analyze patient complaints in the country. An attempt was made to determine how the issues discussed in patient rights committees are differentiated from the applications made to the patient rights units of the hospitals within the body of Ministry of Health in 2009, depending on variables such as branch, province, region, hospital type, title, gender, and subject of application, 18,634 applications were content analysed after they were classified in terms of subject, unit, title, branch, province, and region, and were transformed into numerical codes to prepare the data for analysis. The results show on a regional basis that Marmara is in the first place with 34.9% and East Anatolia is in the last place with 4.6%. The unit receiving the most complaints is outpatient services with 43.1%. Regarding position title, specialists ranked first with 37.9% and managers ranked next with 11.3%. When reviewing the subjects of the applications, they are ranked as follows： （1） lack of benefiting from the services （44%）; and （2） lack of receiving respect and comfort （26.8%）. Patient rights violations were detected in 12.7% but not in 51.6% of the applications made.

A mixed method analysis of patients' complaints: Underpinnings of theory-guided strategies to improve quality of care

Purpose:Patients'complaints can be predictors of patient care quality and safety.Understanding patients'complaints could help healthcare organizations target the areas for improvements.The purpose of this study is to use a mixed method analysis to a)examine the characteristics and categories of patients'complaints,b)explore the relationships of patients'complaints with professions and units,and c)propose theory-based strategies to improve care quality.Methods:This is a descriptive mixed method study.Data examined are patients'complaints filed at a university-affiliated hospital in China from January 2016 to December 2017.A qualitative content analysis was conducted to categorize complaints.A TwoStep cluster analysis was performed to provide an overall profile of patients'complaints.Chi-Square tests were conducted to investigate the relationships among complaints,professions,and units.Results:838 complaints were filed,with 821 valid cases for analysis.Six categories surfaced from the qualitative analysis:uncaring attitudes,unsatisfactory quality of treatment or competence,communication problems,the process of care,fees and billing issues,and other miscellaneous causes.Physicians received most of the complaints(56.6%).The unit receiving the most complaints were outpatient clinics and medical support units(52.7%).The cluster analysis indicated four distinct clusters.Significant relationships existed between complaints and professions(x2(20)=178.82,P<0.01),and between complaints and units(x2(15)=42.72,P<0.01).Conclusions:Patients'complaints are valuable sources for quality improvements.Healthcare providers should be not only scientifically knowledgeable,but also humanistic caring.Caring-based theories may provide guidance in clinical practice.