1. GHANA HEALTH SERVICE CUSTOMER CARE TRAINING
INTRODUCTION TO CUSTOMER TRAINING IN MAB MEDICARE CENTRE
PRESENTED BY:
DR. AKUAMOAH-BOATENG

2. UNIT OBJECTIVES This unit is to primarily address the following:
Why are you a health worker
Brief history of GHS/MAB
- why MAB was established and its mandate
- core values, mission and vision
- key functions
Public perception of this hospital (Positive and negative attributes
Customer care as a corporate responsibility
Rationale for Customer Care Training for staff

3. WHY ARE YOU A HEALTH WORKER?
Can you tell us why you chose to work in MAB Medicare Centre?
To what extent has your expectations been met?

4. BRIEF HISTORY OF MAB MEDICARE CENTRE
MAB MEDICARE CENTRE (MMC) :It was established in 2002
MEGAVEST: It was acquired in 2005.
MMC and MEGAVEST were established based on the ff:
The enactment of Act 525(Ghana Health Services and Teaching Hospitals Act of 1996)

5. CORE OBJECTIVE OF THE SERVICE
Implement approved national policies for health delivery
Increase access(geographical & financial) to improve health services
Manage prudently resources available for provision of health services.

6. CORE VALUE OF MMC ‘To save human life”
N/B: The service therefore expects every MMC worker to value human life.

7. HOW DO WE ACHIEVE THIS CORE VALUE?
In carrying out respective duties, we are expected to exhibit the following attributes:
People centered
Professionalism
Team work
Innovation
Excellence
Discipline
Integrity
compassion

8. PUBLIC PERCEPTION OF SERVICE
Public perception primarily relates to interpersonal relations/attitudes of health workers to their clients, patients and fellow workers.

9. PUBLIC PERCEPTION OF MMC
How does the public perceive MMC and its staff? Any positive attributes? What about the negative attributes?

10. SUMMARY OF NEGATIVE PUBLIC PERCEPTION OF THE SERVICE
(Poor customer care)
There is an impression that most MMC workers are either:
Disrespectful (i.e. body language, facial expression, tone and diction)
Unresponsive / indifference
Not humane
Lack of interest, feeling or empathy towards the genuine concern of clients
Disillusioned
De-motivated

11. SUMMARY OF NEGATIVE FINDINGS FROM MYSTRY SHOPPING
Illegal charges
Illegal/private sale of drugs to patients
Failure to issue receipts to clients
Unauthorized trading between wards
Operational challenges in managing shifts

12. IMPACT OF (POOR) PUBLIC PERCEPTION OF THE SERVICE
Why customer care?
Effect on:
The corporate image of the service
Image and self esteem of staff
Quality of care
Low patronage of service and loss of revenue
Possible conflicts / medico-legal issues
Payment of compensation

13. CUSTOMER CARE AS A CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY
The attainment of optimal health care is dependent on team work (among the health workers, patients, clients and the public at large)
N/B
Perceived poor customer care for both internal and external clients can have negative impact on the corporate image, patronage and attainment of the mission of the service

14. MMC CUSTOMER CARE TRAINING
Why customer care training?
The rational for the training is to improve the corporate image of the hospital and
To let every staff know that the attainment of optimal health largely depends on collaboration between the health worker, patients and families and other clients.

15. PRIMARY OBJECTIVES FOR THE CUSTOMER TRAINING IN MMC
Explain the vision, mission, core functions of the service
Make health service delivery client-focused
Help our staff to understand the needs of patients and clients
Remind health workers on the rights and responsibilities of our clients and to promote their adherence
Explain the importance of customer care in health service delivery

16. PRIMARY OBJECTIVES FOR THE CUSTOMER TRAINING IN MMC cont’d
Pre-empt possible medico-legal disputes and payment of compensation that may arise from poor customer care.
N/B: MMC lays serious emphasis on customer care and ignorance is not an excuse

17. WHO IS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE MMC CUSTOMER CARE TRAINING?
All employees of MMC
Personnel on contract appointment or secondment
All attachment students/staff
Any other person(s) working with MMC under approved terms.

18. KEY CONCERNS IN THE HANDBOOK OF CUSTOMER CARE
Concepts of customer care
Understanding patients’ needs and customer satisfaction
Ethics and law
Communication in client/customer care
Attitude and behavioral skills in customer care
Customer feedback in customer care
Handling complaints
Telephone courtesy
Standards for customer care in MMC

19. SECOND PRESENTATION
ICE BREAK !!!!

20. CONCEPTS OF CUSTOMER CARE
Customer – a person who seeks the service of an organization
Patient – a sick person who solicits the services of a health care provider
A health care client – anyone who seeks the services of a health care provider

21. CONCEPTS OF CUSTOMER CARE cont’d
Customer expectations – theses are what the patient(s) or the client(s) expect to receive from the health care services.
can you think of any of these expectations?
Customer service/care - all the various activities carried out by the service provider to meet/exceed the needs (expectations) of the customer.
Can you mention some of these activities?

22. CONCEPTS OF CUSTOMER CARE cont’d
Quality of service – is the ability of service provider to meet or even exceed the expectations of the client.
it includes proper performance according to standards of interventions and practices that are safe, affordable and impact positively on illnesses, disability and mortality
Customer satisfaction – when the service delivered meets or exceeds the service expectations of the customer

23. CONCEPTS OF CUSTOMER CARE cont’d
External customers – clients who are outside the organization e.g. patients, relatives and community members
Internal customers – staff of the hospital who work together to ensure effective service delivery to clients

24. UNDERSTANDING PATIENTS’ NEEDS AND CUSTOMER SATISFACTION
Issues to be considered;
Patients expectations with respect to:
technical and personal needs
Benefits of customer satisfaction
Customer dissatisfaction
Barriers to good customer care

25. WHAT ARE TECHNICAL AND PERSONAL NEEDS OF A PATIENT?
Technical needs – are specific to the individual client with respect to his/her peculiar medical condition and treatment outcome
N/B: generally patients cannot judge accurately the technical quality of the service provider, especially treatment outcome. They make their assessment of the service based on the provider’s ability to meet personal needs.

26. WHAT ARE PERSONAL NEEDS
They are psychological and social needs of the patient, which are very important to them irrespective of their medical condition.
N/B: the uniqueness of the patient in terms of educational background, age, tender, profession, cultural beliefs, religious affiliations, social status etc should be considered in satisfying personal needs of our clients.

27. EXAMPLES OF PERSONAL NEEDS
Providing information to clients about their condition
Respect and dignity
Timely service delivery
Safe treatment experience
Excellent physical environment
Displaying professionalism in service delivery
Availability of medicines and medical commodities (logistics)

28. BENEFITS OF CUSTOMER SATISFACTION (CAN YOU THINK OF ANY?)
Customers become loyal and develop a sense of familiarity
They are more likely to comply with treatment
They build trust and confidence in the provider
Good customer relations reduce anxiety and promote comfort
Clients /patients preferences are identified and services could be tailored to suit their needs
Satisfied customers will tend to bring in more clients

29. CONCLUSION
What have you learnt?