Patient surveys provide valuable feedback to improve acute care services

(HORIZON) – Horizon Health Network (Horizon) is dedicated to continuous improvement and providing outstanding, person-centred care for our patients and families. Asking for and acting on patient feedback helps Horizon to improve, plan and deliver services.

On Oct. 29, 2024, the New Brunswick Health Council released results from the Hospital Acute Care Survey, undertaken between June and November 2023. Horizon’s Quality and Patient Safety department has reviewed the data and will be working closely with patient care teams throughout the organization to share results and identify key areas for improvement.

“We are grateful to patients who completed the New Brunswick Health Council Acute Care Survey,” said Margaret Melanson, Horizon’s President and CEO. “These results will help inform actions we can take to improve the experience of hospitalized patients.”

Horizon recently implemented an ongoing patient experience survey to obtain real-time feedback from patients accessing care within Horizon facilities. Patients who have visited an Emergency Department, Urgent Care Centre or have been discharged after staying at least one night in hospital or Horizon’s Stan Cassidy Centre for Rehabilitation will be provided with an invitation to share their feedback. Questions assess care aspects such as communication, respect, safety and coordination that are mostly highly linked to the overall patient experience.

Survey results will provide information at both the hospital and unit level so that specific and targeted improvements can be made to directly address areas requiring improvement and to acknowledge the successes and positive experiences.

“Horizon’s real-time patient experience surveys provide an opportunity for patients to provide feedback after their overnight hospital stay or a visit to an emergency department or urgent care centre,” said Melanson. “Patient-centred decision-making is at the centre of what we do, and hearing what patients feel we did well and what we need to improve upon helps us to deliver high-quality, safe and compassionate care for all.”

As part of our commitment to transparency and accountability, we will soon launch a results dashboard for Horizon’s patient experience survey, available on our website.

Discharged patients are encouraged to complete the brief questionnaire. This feedback will be used to shape meaningful enhancements to the acute care services Horizon provides to New Brunswickers.

In addition to Horizon’s patient experience survey, patients can confidentially contact Horizon’s Patient Relations team with feedback or concerns about their care and experience, or with suggestions to improve our health services by phone (1-844-225-0220, toll-free) or online. Patient Relations Consultants provide information, support, encouragement and assistance to patients and families as part of our commitment to person-centred care.

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