82% of all patient ratings about the Summerhill Medical Centre were ’good, very good or excellent’.
When compared with other metropolitan clinics of similar size we scored in the upper and middle quartiles for everything. In order to select the three areas with the greatest room for improvement, we have compared against ALL participating practices (regardless of size and location).
My appointment started on time
We scored 77% compared to the benchmark of 72%
We know that your time is precious and we understand of the frustration of the long wait times. As a practice, we have historically operated as a predominantly walk in clinic. The reason for this is ensure that all our patients have access to a GP when they need it. In contrast, if we move to an only appointment system it may result that you may have to wait a few days or weeks before you can see a GP.
As a practice, we have opened some online appointments slots each day. They are limited but it is a compromise as while we see a merit to an appointment system, we see it as more beneficial to our patients that they are able to see a GP on the same day that it is required. Also, each day patients can call up to add their name to the waiting room and will be notified of the approximate time.
So that patients can be informed of the wait time, our reception will inform you of the anticipated wait time and/or your place in the queue. You can choose to wait in the waiting room or attend to some other activity in the interim.
As a practice we also understand that ultimately the reduction in waiting time will be the to increase the number of GPs to service you. Unfortunately, there is currently a shortage of doctors, particularly in the Northern suburbs of Melbourne. So we do ask for your patience in this respect.
This clinic was clean
We scored 84% compared to the medium of 93%
We acknowledge that our current rating of 84% falls below our 93% benchmark. We take this feedback seriously and are implementing an action plan to ensure our clinic meets the highest standards of hygiene and patient safety.
Our immediate improvement plan includes the following actions:
- Roster staff for regular tidying/cleaning duties throughout the day
- Remove clutter e.g old magazines
- Ensure reception and clinical staff have easy access to wipes and cleaning products for quick spot-cleaning between patients and when issues are noticed
- We have also raised this issue with our cleaning provider
Speed of getting an appointment when I need one
We scored 86% compared to the benchmark of 76%
We acknowledge that this score reflects positively compared to the benchmark and this is because we are predominantly a walk-in medical clinic and therefore can accommodate most patients who need to be seen on that day. We are also aware that this has an impact on appointment start time and also the seeing the doctor of choice and we will work to try to balance these issues.
With respect with the latter, we encourage patients to choose a “back-up doctor” from the quality group of GPs who consult from Summerhill Medical Centre. That way you can get to know a second doctor, so that when your first choice isn’t available you can still see someone familiar.
Not all GPs can work full-time. As independent medical practitioners they need to balance their time, commitments and health like everyone else. As you may appreciate, GPs have a high intensity job and need to ensure that they remain at the top of their game in order to treat patients safely and effectively. Therefore, your GP will not be available every week of the year.
Although we understand the frustration of having to choose between waiting for an appointment with your GP, or taking an earlier appointment with another GP that you don’t know, this is a situation that is unfortunately unlikely to change. Some things that you can do to manage such situations include:
- Speak up – ask questions about your condition, the treatment options, why the GP is recommending one option more than other options.
- Ask for an information flyer about your condition if you want more detail. This is always better than relying on “Dr Google” because the GP will use reliable sources for the information.
- Ask the GP to read the notes that your usual GP wrote at a previous visit if you are struggling to explain your situation.
- The 5 questions recommended by ‘Choosing Wisely Australia’ are:
- Do I really need this test, treatment or procedure?
- What are the risks?
- Are there simpler, safer options?
- What would happen if I don’t do anything about it?
- What are the costs likely to be?