Patient choice is set to have a major impact on the future estates’ strategy of acute hospitals in the UK, says Chris Parsons, senior consultant with property consultancy EC Harris LLP.
The current NHS reforms will mean that patients will be offered the choice of which acute hospitals they attend for follow up treatment and/or procedures.
This choice may be predicated on the availability of a consultant appointment, a procedural opportunity with a reduced waiting time, proximity to the patient’s home or any number of other variables including ease of access and quality issues.
Patient feedback from tests is good and reasons for choosing particular hospitals include waiting times, convenience and certainty of treatment dates, and the availability of transport.
Reputation is important but it does not seem to be based on clinical outcomes. Specific health-related issues such as the Government’s MRSA “league tables” will affect reputation, but it is a subjective assessment of the environment, ease of parking, and facilities for visitors and perceived cleanliness that patients base their choices on.
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