Management of Complaints of Customers in a Health care Organisation

1. STRKl'EGY
.INSIGHT
Complaint management:
Keyto healthcare set-ups
OR A)( KHANDELWAL
MediQlOi~tor.
AnandaLoko Hospital ~nd
Neuro~clence., Centre
Dr AK Khandelwal, MedicalDirector. AnandaLoke Hospital and Neurosciences Centre
gives insights on the importance of handling complaints effectively to maintain goodwill
and reputation of a health care organisation
I
nthe pl·t'_'1~tll "rlyate
healthcare industry, han-
dling of con~um('1' oom-
plaint!! lit .,r ptlrrtlllOulIl
impol'ttll)Ce due to the radically
changing scenario of relation-
ship between the three
stakeholders,
Comjurner AW'U'enc5.' h,,!
Im'n-'l_!lcrl due to 11".Cnrt..'Iulnel'
Protection Act and judicial A('-
tivio:rn hA'C Ill<:o eonr rihuh·d
~!f(nin(:;lnt.1y In (lmpoweriJlg the
consumers. Needless to say, in
the present.era of compcution.
heall.hean: ()rgllni$alion$ are
becoming mon: rw;t()ml'r
oril'nlcd a.sp"Iti('nt S3LisftlcUon
i:s in<;I'!l):linllly Ill'lining ret,'(lllni.
Lion3$ 3n important business
Pf"()(.'C3'&' It j!Co no'on~r ('n<)lljth
lA')f!tutUI'P.that. patient.!! are sim-
pi)'aat.isJied; rather lW"ruthClIrt
Or'J!<lni:SiIUon$mlllStnlw $trh,.
to j(UiU111l!.(>(' cUJqOtn(!r M'rvic('
exeenence in daily opel'3tion!,.
Complaint.!!provide orgal1i·
sations with an opportunity to
idf'ntil'y common (ailure points
in the service that in turn
('na"I(' the organiwljon to
improvf' thn qlli'lllly o( health-
care delivery.
Mlln~8"ing (:nrnpl~lnt!t w ..II
~"Quld l)(llh(' l':()rnf!~t.otte of an
orgtlltslltion'" cussomer-setts-
faction strategy. But timel),
and appropriately complaint
managf!ment.praclkes seem to
elude muny or~l'InisntIOfl$.
M(),!lt (:uRtomC'r!l are llil'l!!ai.lll·
ned .....'ith the wa}' t.heir com-
plAinl.~lire hnnd!('rI.
Need for complaint
management
The private bealebcere indus-
'l'}' is living through M era of
competition, communiClltion
technology, l':(IlI~UlIleraware-
I
-Managing complaints well should be the
cornerstone of an organisation's customer-
satisfaction strategy. But timely and
appropriately complaint management practices
seem to elude many organisations. Most
customers are dissatisfied with the way their
complaints are handled
of money and repuseuon.
however most dissatisfied cue-
tcmers do not complaint '"'The
same research indiClIte$ thtlt
customers who hOlvetll'c'd nn
Ol"Rani~1tiOn~" (!(utlJ}l;lll1!~pro
N'<ture (H!l that they haVE" been
treated properl)' and ere likel}'
to remain more loyal to t.he
company over the long term
and provid(' a posttfve word ot.
mOil'! 1'(: icw to th('ir ltl"qu:lln
I;)O('(!!I.
di.$$iIU$f'lOO customers ere
nl) 11'1n~1r~LriCU>d to W()rd·o(·
mouth comments abOlt
~omplll'lir_~to ..he-Ir-tWf(hbc>uJ'/t
and acquaintances. Thc}' cftn
now publicist the'ir complaint
tltnKaghdilTCI'tnl m('fllll f'tIJ>idl~'
lind t:lIUJ;('irN'pl'll"fJhllldllmog<':
10 !ho hl)~piI.lIl·!I. irn~Ke.Need-
lC'lt.!1(I') I'<llY,eJ'ror!l. misunder-
!luuxti ng!!, client dissati&!action
and unexpected problcm't
oC('ur in 111 IIclmil'li!l.lrauve
!lY1ltflln!l. but they can abo
adverse')' 1IITcrl t hr- or)tnni.!ll'
tion'.$ r('pUblt!on lind hit the
ntl:'l!W'i:'l1 bouorn-line.
Litigation: A dissati$fit'd
customer often resorts 1.0
litigation, Timely ;and
lI"pr(Jllrint~ r-amplrdnt man-
Augus1201d.
EXPRESS HEAlTHCARE54
Competition: Complaint
bandling should matter to
healthcare organj&atiom~ in a
("Ompct.itive ind1lstry. R4.'$('nrth
indlcnl(,.!$ lhnl ,'1~rvlC'e(llUUI"f'
cost organisations in terms
Financiallo!;..'1: In the present
era of inforllUl.tion technology,
J

2. STRATEGY
agenHmt CAn Jll;lgnincanU)'
",duN'lhlptloul
Quality Impro,,~ent:
AuHl.ftof'ftt nlll)njtoring and
f'xpJo,..U(Wl or patient com·
plain'- aM petlent aati:Qc:Uon
<In''''' p",."dt an indicator oft"'"
quality or (,,,,,to lind M'ln~ribute
• " "llnl(',,1 cart improvemenl
~lr"l,.f"fI'lf' ft.. well Rl! pro;de
11eallh('",.. rOIl'lUllu!_rs' input
inl n irtll)rnvlOment of health
C111'f' .. Mct. lind d4'U'('ty U
Who! Is. compllint?
A C'IO'mphlil.b; dfoftnfd as. -An)'
~ntl nI cbNatufllCtion~
.. ru'Ilnm.r Or pot ..nUal nI.!I--
remer .~Il 'Il'rvlre d~'l"CYby
'hI' nl'Ranlalltion or ill! ~erviN"
l~rnvidfn.lI.ndJor Ilbout.orgruu·
!lallon 1"01ky,"
1'hr ,lIm.-""lon5 or patient
Ut.15f.(·! Inn ndude art.-or-('Ar"e
(carini .1tltude); tt"('bnje.1
quality ftC '-.1'1'. acces.sibility
• nd MnWNen«; rU&J'l(.'1!~
(abUn,. to PAr ror ~);
pbytir.1 en",lronment~ avail·
"blhty; <:ontlnli~y or (::In- pm·
cae)' .ntl OIII('tlme or C3J'e.'
C':nltt"lalnlll raw: In "
Jll;huly,' h Will revealed dUll
1hf'1"fI""'coreI,4Z('umpl.tnlA pt"r
1000 patlfflt Anothf'.r study
tfW'f>altdUtal !"alA' of com·
plal.nt. ... IJ! pI'r 1000
(l('C"W WW (1(. ~
Types of complaints
;n.ly.l" or pllUt"n~ aur.·cYli
carrlt'd out In Ut·rm.nny, ~w(l·
den. Swll'l"rllll,~I. t"(lUR, aud
lhe liS In I9IUt tnOO in a study
r(''cIlINt Ih'll I'roblews it.h
inr(ll'n'tnllnn and educaUon,
conrdlnalWlon of cue. IT-!pect
ftw patl"ntt' p~fcr(oncft, t'mI)o
tiONI ,"1Pf'"t'1.. p~kal ~
(OrLln~~ntof&unAJand
friendt, and C'onllnu1ty and
tr!Lnlll jt1n.....,.. prevalent in aU
ti.." f'OlInlri","
In nunthf'I·ltudy" tbe m~r
('nll'f'. Inr romplaint.s Wen!:
('omn'uoICIIIIC)n~ Poor at
tflt.i()n.d~,",~,-
Attf1. 10 hf'allheare:
~ot~nadcoq ... ,. *'r'iCf'. tft31-
"".~ df'la)'l
'l'r'to.tmf'nt: Inadequate
In-.'Itmf'nt tlnd nursing cart!
Do all customers
cOI!1JlI.ln?
T..itf'Mlturt ru~·elil. thtll
the complllinu .('luaUy rf'-
('('iwd hy "'f'lIlIthc.re organisa·
Uon. IIrl'l only Il tip or t.he
le..~r" Consumel'~ in lhl'
hea.llht' .... Indu.!'!L!,)'are reluc-
tant 1.0 f'Oml)Wn btoeaU&l' they
rcal' 'hal they may receive
loa ..r If'rvke quahty if .nd
.tuon tN M>td for (l1'U~(aN"
an... ,Thh I. unrnrtun3tf',
""(Of' C'ompJ.lflta .re impor.
Itlnt U. h.altbf:'u·(' prvvlcff':rft.
The mljorlt.y .,r CU!ltomer5
who lin complain to Ih ...
prcwldfr about some .~('r:1 nr
"""lef 1I('1'.nlly ",111U!M! the
Hr.·In> pNwldeTagain ifthc)
pt'n-.'Iwo 1M complaio' u be-
in.".'-OIwd
~~ancxpniql)nfl'O
lhotlld .11(1' Inltlative!. to
f'n('(I·II'II.~ customers to file'
thl!lr complnlnl'l it thf'rf" arl'
an)' rh ..rn ",(' IleVerai 'o.'1o)'S in
whll'h II I1CDIUlcare org"niSIi
lion rlln f!ncouTagt' l.be ('on·
..urn",. t.o,h-~ lhcil' feoedhlt(""lt.
• Pall ..nb. and lamilies $houid
)II! IntbnMd _he t'OmPt.lnl
~prot"eM.thellnw
of adm._iOn.
.''-tlolo"t handbooks can r.ro·
~df lnJormllU!Jn C)nth.. ~m-
rlllint mUnftRement pnx:c .. ,
wUt!,. contllctnllmbcr.
• HMplt~l.hould ..n~u",Ihllt.
thll cutton-.('r ('11'('1 omeer vi..
I~ (''fl")' p.Ut"nl :tnd their
famlJ~ .nd ('Om.munkatft
1M h<IIr!laJ"rommitmem to
....,.,f.'" fxffiience and In·
rhld .. a (U.!tOm."~ U-Mn>
h~llfI(' nliMoor.
.1'OlltI'lNi that en('our~(' pll
tlfnta to C'xpre,., oompl:.lrtlll
and cone'''''n!! ("".lInbe placed In
Ih" hnllwnytt, with a eont.llct
I.(>k"hotl«l number listed.
• Pn!!u't' that coooplaint.s cnn
h4> ao!kh.ed from palknl
uu.facuon cun"'f')"t thai aN'
",alINt 10 p.:Itif:nts afte-r
di~
Five PI of complaint
management
A t()!nplalnt management
Jeyll.lfltn IIhouJd be builL on 1111
Ihf' (1'I1I1'I1ngfh-e ett'meni.&.
• Priority: ibp m.na,~mf'nl
Aheould Il'c lOp priorlly 10
t"Ompl.int. m.a~ment of
..... ltht-:u·. r'Kipienu.. Thi.
.hould bc percolated and
il'lt"lral('tI .. ilh the organi!a-
lion'll opPntional s)'8t('m.
Filth IItAn Mould ..... hM'
I-hIl111mf'l)'and appropriately
m,.n ..g~ment will cnhtlnN'.
the rtput.t.lon of UtI!
orpn, ... llor..
.1)rlr.oll.I«I8: A C'Omplnlnl.
manllftment .y_'~m muM be!
Implf'fTW"nted on the prteet-
pi". or Calrneaa, accessibdJty.
t'NIp(InIIi'mtN and ~-rl('irnry
• ,,"plf: P'floaoos de$iJ:ftII~f'd
tOf" C'Omplai.nt maftll~nl
mUtt be p1"Onc:M-nl in thf. toft.
'kllfll I'f'quired tee complaint
manlCtmenf.. ~r pl'rrGnn-
anN' .hnuld be monitoN!d
""11 continual improvcmrnt
.houjd b<' ensul'c:'d.
• 1'n)('M'11t .hnu'd perlonn in
IhI' foll(nlling manner
• A«<pI
.A.........
..........• Prob).-m .0.1)"1'-': All
c'nmpfalnta should h"
ftlalyatd by mnnnAt'mf'nt
I(){ll,,!
• Rt)C')tCa.use Analysis
.r;'by An~is
Adv.nt.c .. of complaint
m.nogement
"....,.....-riouIy""" .
plAmt truon.lt!'meftt p~
",lin)' adl,-ant~ (or a ~_'Ith
c:.,.Ol'j[llnbaUon. Complainta
nrlMc.ll"IdJrect.infonn.at.ion from
Ihl' h(!Althca.rc recipit'nl IIhout
PMf' ,l'Irvk't dc·Ilvt'..ry lind dl'n·
clfncy In rnf'thoct'l, machlnp.
mllerl.I •• nd ~km of person ••
Top mann.ltf'tnl':nt should Ulle
thisIn~n to the .dvan-
lap of t}woir otpS'Ii.sation.
Rtmtdr to • compilinanc~
Tlmf'ly and appropriate- rem-
i"dy "hQuld be- provided
rmpro"~ bllwint"8 pn')C"I'!UI:
Assessment.
monitoring and
exploration of
patient
complaints and
patient
satisfaction
data provide an
indicator of the
quality of care
and contribute
to clinical care
improvement
strategies
C'f)rnlllllinWl should be u.ed to
Idtntlry dend~,"t:y, analYII@
C'.'I.t<Il, dl'l~'e)op solution. and
Impk-ment them to impf'O"otf
.-........... """'"'"BuUd cUftlu'IO) .. hy: 11.rnf'ly
Ind appropriatt1)· ft'ImJllalnt
m ..n.jltmt-nt mak,._. 'hf' ("1.11.
tnmf'r moee 10)·aJto the he...I'I'!·
Cart O"~llIul)n
Quality dimensions of
complaint management
(StOU$$ and Seidel (19911)
• Adequ.cy/fairDt'55 or ,I'll"!
aut(.'Gmt'.: Bob the p,-ob't'fft
.alutioo and raime-fLC or aft)
--• AN"f"'I.': P.a!'C' aI nndtnll com-
Jl('t4!nt rontac, ))trion
• Frlendllnes!I: r.,lltPtlflP,
('ourl('~y, communication
,.1)'1,.
• EmpaUw. WUlingnt''OC ~ lJllt~
tht C'UlItomCN' p~'rllllloN'lI'1'"
tnclu4ing underst.aDdinc th~
t'I.I.!Itnme:rs·annoya~
.lDditlldu.r~ approadt Ib
""","(!bini h:udtq.
• Vllible effort to .01_ Ih,.
proh!"m.
• Ic'U"e feedback.. inc-hidIng
notification lIbc>ut I.r(l('.,.
dui't6, dclilY!Iotuwi deei~lnrut,
, 1(("lIl1hllll.)': K"pph,C
ptornl4r.lt
• Speed otre!ipOuw. Rf.aetion
locomplai.nl and ~titln
Manacement
responsibility
Tn,t management abo'ild M
1'@'lponsible ror mrlnn.lfl~ II~"
complilllni h:lIdlifl~ "Yllten,
'I'M. I)t'r,.ot'l·~ respnnalbllltit.
Mould hw-'udethe (oUowinr
ftromotlnl{ • poal'hfl
t:u1tu.re: The- complaint
manor«-'" ....In....w
.t.r.o' ofthronllnlplairll ha.ndIin,:
'_Am .nd promote- a po<I.tl,f'
eultu~ thl' vaJue.! complaint
hntldlinft. They should be
thtl I"Oml)laint 'chnmplon'.
(lrl"uring that. reeo'cry ot 1hn
pllllt'nt ip. the goal,
fnll':j{raling complaint
In(onnalion: TtH- <'OlYIplainl
managt!r MouJd I,wo Im·oh....d In
.u tIff.tina makin, ~ ...
of tompb.mt ~ft'Iof'n'.
H. .bould partidpalf' in
f''lili.I!lI i~ the existir.g !)'Itf'm,
df"lCll[ning the new s)'strm and
1t",lmplpmor.ntation.
fl'nllnwlng up: Thl' l'Ocu,,11I1111
InAnnier should glVf' f'coNlbnc)c
of III ,In:nl!;lh!lo. 'A' .. tlknf'II~';
opt'QrtunitiH .nd threat.t of
thp complaint m.fU~I(C'll'('In
."..."..
Inrorm~ top muaC'C",f'lll:
TOp maMgl!'ment should f'n!II.I'"
lha.t be- com;llaint nII~
--~--pnctka, regubtty ""'"' tht
orpni$3tlon" Olm-pblnt hI,n.
dhn« t'I)'!Ilem and pvtielpllt .. ln
eompfllinth':lfld'l~
Conclusion
Complaint mnnllRMiW'flt ean bt
('N'('C'lIVf! in I'f'MlvJng. problt'm
br>ft'll'e it beeomes ....'tl~.
~. remed), to a , 1"'111
..ito has fiI.lfIton!d diMctl.lI.nUII",
.......... sood ",,-,-
_ ........Ilh=o_.u.
lI.tit)fl and the br:.lth""1'1"
I'f'ClpienL
<.:nmplAhtu al.50 P~flf!
~ndes with inlormllll(ln (11)00
th" bcaltbClll·C Ol'Ml'Inl~1I(ln'l
';-e~~nd 'll"NW d...II,,'tf:,
fauJU. 1I05})i!.a1 manlCt'l"lMnt
_.....- ........m_
~ and 1M I.....,..
'"'-rnl (rom the compWI'l"
Mould be: used to im-pnt'1' :hf!
butlne,..pr-oa!M o(the orpnl.
"Ilion. It abo belp' inbullrli_1'l( II
h~a1t.hl('r rOln(lJni(ln, Atn'lnp'
b!'Md ,itlll(' and avmdinglt'(!'"'
pcnAllll'1t.
Ref~nces
I (StQII#., B o:'fd SnIIotIn'.A
rif1()l}tt004}~pIoVl' f.vt
tJIr"'fCIt /"n;fflo#1l.btor..-INtI"
ftJ...,pltllnl l"t41tQ/l'tn kM'!'-
.f(JfI~ SmJicr q,.nJi1y. l.t N'i)
t.,.,. 147·/56
2.~·t{flI~$.It. (Jlttl S4'idl'l.W (t(]() I)
C!)mpltunt ItfontJg6111tnl ''II,.
/11"01'((IICIUt!
~t)1"tI01f. Plwn!u. USA,)
., r",mo-KiJpill. l~",hnI'P'ltJJ,
PfltJ.Mt aJt4foa- 111411 t...mto4
f(Ir 0/IItr qvtZIity t1{1ftII"I.1/fI to'"
"'''~di~./otmfoJ 01 ,'·UfTl,., R,.
'Mr'C1t .f- CunnI SII/d." ,
vA l'rd iNorden t!Y.J2;/Zf~4,,·Z;:'
4. fkndafl-(JJO!f D. J'tJu (1',' rT•.
'TYt1! mle af CfJmpl(Jinl tIItrf/tlA't'·
ntl'ltt in lne $(''1'/('1' "'n/lV'ry
proer:.1..c, Joint. cAmml.l~c'l'w,11)/11'·
"a} 1m QIIDlil.v ImI'MI'f'>ff"nt
IOOl.z;(6)z;H M
$. IIbrr'( 1lrJritoJ·.·hw,A. ~'fN
a" A 1'JI.t .Vt(Jl;tlf'f""'" .IId
A!n~afl!lrmtSct~
tlnl1. A R~_wofIM[;JI''"tun,
/1m
(I ToylorVIt lVol{t,RR, lam·
I'M" 1M,: AnQly$i.~(lf ('()mplolntt
lodged hy pol(''nf.~ntU'"d{J1I VI('·
tJ)rirUl h(p(1i1nl$" 1.9.97·100J,/ofrd
J "'us' Zf}()l.jui:; /Rl(/'. ,'l.1.1:
UPRESS HE.WHCARE 55