Seguridad del Paciente - Patient Safety

• The minister of Health Social Policy and Equality presented today the results of the Healthcare Barometer 2010.
• In the last 5 years the public’s positive assessment of the health care system has increased from 6.14 in 2005 to 6.57 in 2010, in a 1 to 10 scale.
• Most of the Spanish population shows a clear preference for public healthcare services, both in primary care and in emergency and hospitalization services.
• 84.33% of those interviewed has confidence in the work of the medical profession: a very similar percentage expresses trust in the work of the nursing staff (83.43%) and other healthcare workers (78.18%).
• Waiting lists continue to be one of the main issues of concern for the public. Half of the individuals interviewed mention the fact that the waiting list problem has not changed in the last year.

April 14, 2011. One more year the Healthcare Barometer data show that the National Health System is one of the services better valued by the Spanish population. According to this annual study carried out by the Ministry of Health, Social Policy and Equality in cooperation with the Center for Sociological Research (CIS), which was presented this morning by the minister Leire Pajín, 73.88% of those surveyed consider that the National Health System (NHS) works very well or well, although some changes are needed. Only 3.51% express the opinion that the Spanish Health System should be completely rebuilt.

In addition, the study reflects that in a 1 to 10 scale the positive assessment of the public scores at 6.57 points, confirming the gradual upward trend seen in recent years. In 2005 the score was 6.14 points.

As Leire Pajín stated “the fundamental objective of the Healthcare Barometer is to observe and learn about the performance of the National Health System through the eyes and opinion of the people. It is an opportunity for improvement. The insights obtained help us to continue working on maintaining the best valued aspects at their current level of quality and to redouble our efforts to improve those that are less valued”. The minister added that the function of the Barometer is to gage “the opinion of the public and how they value the services. They are our best tools to progress in cohesiveness, equity and quality in the National Health System”.

PREFERENCE FOR THE PUBLIC SYSTEM

Most of those interviewed expressed a preference for using the public healthcare system versus a private healthcare system. This is true for the various options analyzed by the study:

• Primary care visits (63.86% versus 29.75%).
• Medical specialist visits (47.97% versus 42.94%).
• Emergency visits (59.60% versus 32.99%).
• Hospitalization (58.79% versus 33.73%).

In addition, 3 out of 10 individuals sought emergency care in the last year. Most of them used the service offered by public hospitals.

The Barometer also reflects that when the individual is asked to which type of facility would they go if they had the opportunity to choose in case of a severe illness, 6 out of 10 would choose the public healthcare option, 3 would chose private health care and 1 would use either one indistinctly.

MOST VALUED ASPECTS

The main reasons for choosing the public healthcare network expressed by those interviewed were the resources and technology available at the facilities, the level of training and skill of the medical staff and the information they are given as patients on their health issues. On the contrary, those that prefer private health care do so because they are seen much quicker and the facilities are more comfortable.

In a scale from 1 to 10, the assessment of health care services is as follows:

PRIMARY CARE

1. Closeness of the center (7.85).

2. The trust and safety transmitted by the medical staff (7.54).

3. The treatment received from the medical staff (7.50)

SPECIALISTS

1. Number of medical specialties available (7.47)

2. Resources and technological equipment (7.40).

3. Treatment received from the medical staff (7.20).

HOSPITALIZATION

1. Equipment and technology available at the hospital (7.76).

2. Nursing personnel care (7.26) and medical personnel care (7.24).

3. Information received on the evolution of the condition (7.22).

Amongst the most valued aspects as a whole it is worth mentioning the excellent assessment of the work of medical and hospital staff. More specifically, 84.3% trust the performance of medical personnel; 83.4% also express trust in the nursing staff and 78.2% in the remaining healthcare staff.

AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT

Amongst the aspects that can be improved are the time it takes for medical specialists (consultants) to see the patient from the time the appointment is made (4.89 over 10), the delay in obtaining diagnostic tests results (4.87) and the delay in non-emergency admissions to hospital (4.74).

The persons interviewed show an unfavorable valuation of waiting lists, since 49.7% think the problem of waiting lists remains the same this year.

The Healthcare Barometer 2010 also shows that the majority of those interviewed think the public healthcare system is egalitarian and equitable in terms of healthcare provision based on age (73.22%), gender (87.70%) and social status (70.87%).

On the other hand the public is calling for coordination among the Health Regions when offering new services and 83.6% of those interviewed consider they should come to an agreement in this sense.

The total and disaggregated results of the Healthcare Barometer 2010 by Health Regions can be accessed through the website of the Ministry of Health, Social Policy and Equality (www.mspsi.es).

Source: Ministry of Health, Social Policy and Equality. Press Office, April 14^th of 2011.