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Dignity signifies how people feel, think and behave in relation to the worth or value of themselves and others.
To treat someone with dignity is to treat them as being of worth, in a way that is respectful of them as valued individuals.
In an ideal situation, dignified care refers to a relationship between healthcare workers and patients and/or their relations in terms of being treated with respect, as an individual is involved in decision-making and is accorded privacy.
For dignified care to be realised, therefore, there needs to be a clear understanding between health workers and their clients (in this case patients).
Healthcare workers should endeavour to listen to immediate concerns of clients, furnish them with adequate information relating to their treatment plan, involving them in planning and decision-making, treating them with dignity, empathy and respect, enabling them to have an informed choice, that they can complain without fear of retribution and control over their lives and the services they receive.
They can choose the best treatment that they are comfortable with from an array of alternatives.
For many healthcare workers, the desire to help patients in their healing process is what their day-to-day job entails.
Unfortunately, time pressures, systemic issues and complexities can sometimes make it challenging to provide the most sensitive and responsive care possible.
It is important to note that supporting dignity is not an additional task for anyone working in health services.
It is a way of bringing additional insights to the work people are already doing, and a means of helping them get more satisfaction out of their jobs.
The government seeks to build a progressive, responsive and sustainable healthcare system for accelerated attainment of the highest standard of health to all and as such dignified care for patients is part and parcel of this.
The right to health is a fundamental human right guaranteed in the Constitution of Kenya.
Article 43 (1) (a) of the Constitution provides that every person has the right to the highest attainable standard of health.
In line with this, Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) runs a geriatric clinic focusing on the unique needs of the elderly.
This is aimed at achieving normal healthy ageing. Older people need basic and vital support in aspects such as eating, nutrition, personal hygiene and toileting. MTRH also offers mental health and rehabilitative services.
Good customer service by health workers can help to mitigate patient complaints, especially given the high costs and sometimes longer waiting times in health facilities.
Hospital managers shouldn’t dread handling complaints and receiving patients’ feedback. Instead, they should set up systems of handling feedback and complaints in their facilities.
Effective complaint resolution helps in continual improvement. While staff can be given some latitude on executing their mandate, supportive supervision from management must be undertaken.
Conversely, clients should provide and to the best of their knowledge, accurate and complete information about present complaints, past illnesses, hospitalisation, medication and other matters related to their health.
It is important to note that a great doctor-nurse-patient experience can improve loyalty and strengthen a health system's brand as well as ensuring patient retention.
Overall, every employee in healthcare is potentially a customer service representative; that is, someone whose daily activities should be focused on improving the quality of care provided to patients.
Some employees will interact with patients directly while others work in supporting roles (behind the scenes), but everyone should approach their job with a patient-service mindset.
When people visit health facilities, they expect more than treatment — they want care, empathy, concern and clear communication.
More importantly, patients want staff working in health facilities to show they care about the individual’s needs, situation and well-being, which ought to be demonstrated during every interaction.
Dr Aruasa is the chief executive officer of Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH), a Level 6B facility.
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