Table 2.
Types of healthcare complaints related to intensive care units and the general wards
| Problem domain | Problem category and type | Number of problems, ICUs (n = 441) |
Number of problems, general wards (n = 818) |
p value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clinical | 87 | 128 | 0.121 | |
| Quality | 68 | 106 | 0.394 | |
| Bedding and dress | 5 (7.4%) | 5 (4.7%) | 0.006 | |
| Nutrition supply | 1 (1.5%) | 18 (17.0%) | ||
| Wound and indwelling device care | 3 (4.4%) | 3 (2.8%) | ||
| Patient handling | 31 (45.6%) | 25 (23.6%) | ||
| Patient monitoring | 8 (11.8%) | 13 (12.3%) | ||
| Patient involvement in care planning | 7 (10.3%) | 10 (9.4%) | ||
| Care outcome and sequel | 13 (19.1%) | 32 (30.2%) | ||
| Safety | 19 | 22 | ||
| Delay or mistake in diagnosis | 0 (0%) | 2 (9.1%) | 0.498 | |
| Medication event | 1 (5.3%) | 3 (13.6%) | ||
| Responding to change in clinical condition | 8 (42.1%) | 9 (40.9%) | ||
| Responding to clinical notification from the patient | 5 (26.3%) | 3 (13.6%) | ||
| Overlooking of clinical information | 0 (0%) | 1 (4.5%) | ||
| Teamwork and coordination problem | 5 (26.3%) | 4 (18.2%) | ||
| Management | 198 | 365 | ||
| Environment | 180 | 272 | < 0.001 | |
| Uncomfortable physical surroundings | 68 (37.8%) | 109 (40.1%) | 0.002 | |
| Accommodation problem | 0 (0%) | 5 (1.8%) | ||
| Ward cleanliness | 5 (2.8%) | 23 (8.5%) | ||
| Facility and equipment function | 76 (42.2%) | 92 (33.8%) | ||
| Staff availability and shortage | 2 (1.1%) | 14 (5.1%) | ||
| Interaction problem among patients and visitors | 29 (16.1%) | 29 (10.7%) | ||
| Institutional processes | 18 | 93 | ||
| Waiting for clinical visit or consultation | 5 (27.8%) | 38 (40.9%) | 0.001 | |
| Delay in medical procedure | 6 (33.3%) | 37 (39.8%) | ||
| Phone call or complaints not responded to | 0 (0%) | 1 (1.1%) | ||
| Appointment problem | 0 (0%) | 12 (12.9%) | ||
| Visiting time availability or scheduling | 7 (38.9%) | 4 (4.3%) | ||
| Maintenance of medical records | 0 (0%) | 1 (1.1%) | ||
| Relationship | 156 | 325 | ||
| Listening | 54 | 151 | 0.0016 | |
| Staff ignorance of question and discomfort | 2 (3.7%) | 14 (9.3%) | 0.055 | |
| Dismissing of patient-provided information | 4 (7.4%) | 27 (17.9%) | ||
| Acknowledged problems not responded to, not addressed, or not followed through | 48 (88.9%) | 110 (72.8%) | ||
| Communication | 28 | 26 | ||
| Delayed communication of test results | 1 (3.6%) | 1 (3.8%) | 0.303 | |
| Incorrect or conflicted information given to the patient | 3 (10.7%) | 7 (26.9%) | ||
| Decision or plan not communicated | 24 (85.7%) | 18 (69.2%) | ||
| Respect and patient rights | 74 | 148 | ||
| Poor manner of the staff | 50 (67.6%) | 91 (61.5%) | 0.702 | |
| Not protecting private information | 1 (1.4%) | 3 (2.0%) | ||
| Staff self-control and patient discrimination | 18 (24.3%) | 36 (24.3%) | ||
| Poor informed consent process carried out | 2 (2.7%) | 4 (2.4%) | ||
| Privacy not protected | 3 (4.1%) | 14 (9.5%) |