OAR@UM Collection:/library/oar/handle/123456789/634042026-06-12T05:02:11Z2026-06-12T05:02:11ZA comparison of the users' opinions of the services provided by Zammit Clapp Hospital./library/oar/handle/123456789/446402020-11-08T06:14:12Z1997-01-01T00:00:00ZTitle: A comparison of the users' opinions of the services provided by Zammit Clapp Hospital.
Abstract: Many geriatric hospitals, as is the case of Zammit Clapp Hospital, are
specifically devoted to preventing life-long hospitalisation or institutionalisation.
However, achieving this goal is no easy task. It requires much effort and a
constant monitoring of the quality of medical, technical, inter-personal and
supportive services provided by the hospital to its patients.
An important part of this auditing exercise involves the securing of the users'
opinion of the type and quality of services provided. Due to the difficulty in
eliciting information from the elderly patient, it is not rare for this information to
be obtained from the patients' relatives and taken to represent patient (users)
opinion. This study attempted to investigate the use of relative opinion in lieu of
patient opinion by verifying whether or not second user opinion (relative)
accurately represents first user opinion (patient).
Following this line of reasoning, the study identified four user groups - the able
patient, and his relatives, the unable patient and his relatives.
By definition, the unable patient could not be involved in this study. Thus, to
each of the other three user groups, 2 questionnaires were given. The first was
to be completed on admission and attempted to measure their expectations and
weighted importance for a number of service attributes. The second
questionnaire was completed just prior to discharge and primarily measured
their perceptions of the same service attributes.
The employed questionnaires drew their composition and design from the
quoted SERVQUAL model and Donabedian's framework of hospital service
quality. Extensive literature review provided extra support to serve the
purposes outlined.
Comparison of questionnaire results of all user groups showed that for all
questions asked, no statistical significant differences between the groups were
found. The first hypothesis "the relatives' expectations and perceptions of the
services provided by Zammit Clapp Hospital will be different from those of the
patients themselves" was not supported. The second hypothesis "there will be
no difference between the expectations and perceptions of relatives of patients
who can make their views known, than those of patients who are unable to do
so" was supported. It would appear that using relative as proxies may be
justified. This study does also show that in the opinion of the users of the
service (both patients and relatives) the services provided at Zammit Clapp
Hospital are highly regarded and generally match expectations. Furthermore,
the management finding that the majority of patients are returning to the
community is also supported by both patients' and relatives' views. However,
some limitations and observations were made on the interpretation of these
results.
Patients and their relatives, have valuable information to give to the hospital for
the improvement of its service product.
Description: M.SC.HEALTH SERVICES MANGT.1997-01-01T00:00:00ZEvaluating clinical outcomes on implementing and managing team midwifery in Malta./library/oar/handle/123456789/431862020-11-22T06:06:34Z1997-01-01T00:00:00ZTitle: Evaluating clinical outcomes on implementing and managing team midwifery in Malta.
Abstract: This study explored the need of enhancing clinical documentation through the
Total midwifery care is provided to pregnant women by small teams of midwives
within a Team Midwifery System of Care. The purpose of this study was to change the
fragmented care given in Traditional Systems of Care, into a Team Midwifery System of
Care. This system was hypothesised to provide clients with continuity of care by known
carers throughout the three phases of childbirth: antenatal, intrapartum, and postnatal
care. This change was to result in a reduction in the use of analgesia in labour and in
obstetric interventions. These same parameters were hypothesised as being beneficial
to Team Midwifery clients when compared with Traditional Systems' clients. Lewin's
(1951) Force-Field Change Model was utilised to implement and manage the change. A
convenience sample of 294 women was divided into three groups: a Team Midwifery
Group, run by midwives, private care and hospital care control groups, run by
obstetricians and general practitioners. The control groups served as a comparison in
this quasi-experimental design. Assignment of "Low Risk" women to the Team Midwifery
System Group was voluntary. Matching criteria - parity, expected and actual dates of
delivery - were used to form the control groups. ¸£ÀûÔÚÏßÃâ·Ñ was collected from the
women's case notes and pregnancy co-operation cards. Group differences were
analysed using Chi Square Tests. Of the four hypotheses tested in this study, only the
one regarding known carers at delivery, yielded statistical significance for the Team
Midwifery Group. Results addressing all other levels of care were similar in all three
groups. This suggests that the Team Midwifery System of Care is a viable supplement to
present day care. Further studies are needed to plan the integration of Team Midwifery
and the concept of continuity of care into the present day system.
Description: M.SC.HEALTH SERVICES MANGT.1997-01-01T00:00:00Z