The Study of Applied Research “Opportunities for Improving the Communication Process in Health Care Institutions (under the Lithuanian - Polish Example) "

1. 1
The Study of Applied Research
“Opportunities for Improving the Communication
Process in Health Care Institutions
(under the Lithuanian - Polish Example) "
Authors
Joanna Wojtyra (Shool of Management Czestochowa)
Lina Kupstienė, Virginija Piligrimienė, Saulius Tvirbutas (Kauno kolegija/University of Applied Sciences)

2. The method of research
A quantitative study was conducted by using separate
questionnaires for the physicians and patients.
Totally surveyed -
534 staff workers and 543 patients in
Kaunas Clinical and Czestochowa Hospitals
2
Instrument of
research

3. Outcomes: Patients‘ observations on communication
3
Research
carried out
35.5 33.2 32
20
13.4
32.8
43.3
18.9
25.5
32.8
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
Hardlyavailable
informationabout
institutions
Difficulttomakea
call
Obscureinformation
online
Exhaustive
informationby
reception
Missing
communication'face
toface'
Percentage
Lithuania
Poland

4. Outcomes: Patients‘ requests
4
Research carried
out
51.6
66.5
13.5
36.6
29.2
15.8
42.3
2.5
55.4
61.9
30.9
36.6
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Moreinformation
onsocialnetworks
Moreinteractive
opportunities
online
Moreprinted
advertising
More
disseminationin
portals
More
disseminationin
media
More
disseminationin
publictransport
Percentage
Lithuania
Poland

5. Outcomes: hindrances for internal communication
5
Research carried
out
15.8
49 50
31 31.3
1919.2
33
42
23
47
37.4
0
10
20
30
40
50
60 Notsatisfiedwith
internal
communication
Managersdon't
encourageor
motivate
Lackofcommon
events
Managersignorethe
viewsofemployees
Informationisnot
putclearly
Surplusof
information
Percentage
Lithuania
Poland

6. Outcomes: hindrances for the internal
communication process
6
Research carried
out
42.9
47.3
34.8
62.8
35
55.152
8.6
29.3
40
47
13.8
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Issuesbetweenco-
workers
Issuesbetween
managersand
patients
Issuesbetween
managersand
subordinates
Excessiveworkload
Lackoftimefor
communication
Shortageof
necessary
measures
Percentage
Lithuania
Poland

7. Conclusions
￮ 1. There is little difference in the expression of
communication and expectations for quality information in
a convenient manner between the patients and physicians
at the Polish and Lithuanian health care institutions. The
obvious trend is the need for communication in social
networks, other opportunities provided by the Internet have
not been exploited either.
￮ 2. Both institutions face internal communication problems,
as between co-workers, so between managers and
subordinates. This degrades the quality of the services
provided.

8. Suggestions and proposals
￮ To develop opportunities for online communication (e.g. videos on
services provided in social networks, implementation of special
programmes for internal and external communication,
improvement of information presentation on the website).
￮ Improve the reception service by purchasing telephone call
recording equipment. Provide training to improve employee
communication and conflict resolution abilities.
￮ Provide leadership training to improve internal communication; to
promote communication and cooperation on the Intranet, to
organize motivational events, which would strengthen the
relations between employees.

9. 9
Opportunities for Improving the Communication
Process in Health Care Facilities
(under the Lithuanian - Polish example)
The outcomes of the research are important for improving
communication processes in the Lithuanian and Polish health
care institutions. The practical application of the results will
have a direct impact on the quality assurance of services
provided by the health care institutions.