XN000022-1993-08-25 — Page 2

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25, 1993

DH LAUNCHES PHASE II OF PERFORMANCE PLEDGE

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ANOTHER 13 GENERAL OUT-PATIENT (GOP) CLINICS UNDER THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TOOK PART IN THE SECOND PHASE OF THE PERFORMANCE PLEDGE PROGRAMME TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

SPEAKING AT A PRESS CONFERENCE TO ANNOUNCE THE LAUNCHING OF THE SECOND PHASE OF THE PROGRAMME, THE DIRECTOR OF HEALTH, DR S H LEE, SAID SO FAR A TOTAL OF 28 GOP CLINICS HAD PARTICIPATED IN THE EXERCISE.

DR LEE SAID THE STANDARDS AND TARGETS FOR PHASE II CLINICS WERE MORE OR LESS THE SAME AS THOSE IN PHASE I BUT WITH RESOURCES AVAILABLE AND CO-OPERATION OF STAFF, COMPUTERISED DRUG LABELLING AND PATIENT SUPPORT GROUPS WOULD BECOME ADDITIONAL FEATURES IN THE PERFORMANCE PLEDGE CLINICS.

IN ADDITION, TO PROVIDE FOR A DIRECT EXCHANGE OF VIEWS BETWEEN CLINIC USERS AND THE DEPARTMENT ON THE SERVICES PROVIDED, THE DEPARTMENT WILL BE ESTABLISHING THE FIRST PATIENT LIAISON GROUP INVOLVING INITIALLY PATIENTS ATTENDING THE GENERAL OUT-PATIENT CLINICS IN KWUN TONG.

'RECRUITMENT OF MEMBERS TO JOIN THE PATIENT LIAISON NOW UNDER WAY THROUGH CLINICS," HE SAID.

GROUP IS

POSTERS AND INVITATIONS AT THE CONCERNED

THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH IS AMONG THE FIRST BATCH OF GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS SETTING PERFORMANCE PLEDGES WITH AN AIM OF IMPROVING THE SERVICE DELIVERY TO THE PUBLIC AND DEVELOPING A MORE CUSTOMER-BASED CULTURE.

THE FIRST PHASE OF THIS PROGRAMME, COVERING 15 GENERAL OUT- PATIENT CLINICS, WAS FORMALLY LAUNCHED IN DECEMBER LAST YEAR.

"ALTHOUGH THE SCHEME HAS BEEN IN EXISTENCE FOR ONLY NINE MONTHS, VISIBLE IMPROVEMENTS ARE TAKING PLACE GRADUALLY. FEEDBACK FROM BOTH PATIENTS AND STAFF HAS BEEN MOST ENCOURAGING, SAID DR LEE.

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HE ALSO ELABORATED ON THE IMPROVEMENTS ACHIEVED INCLUDING CONTINUITY OF PATIENT CARE THROUGH INDIVIDUAL MEDICAL RECORDS, PATIENTS BRING ATTENDED TO WITHIN THE PLEDGED WAITING TIMES. DRUG LABELLING, IMPROVEMENT OF CLINIC ENVIRONMENT, HEALTH EDUCATION TALKS AND SELF-CARE SUPPORT GROUPS FOR PATIENTS.

PLANNED ΤΟ COVER THE

DR LEE STATED THAT THE DEPARTMENT REMAINING 28 GOP CLINICS IN TWO FURTHER PHASES NEXT YEAR.

THE DIRECTOR ALSO POINTED OUT THAT IN AN ATTEMPT TO FIND OUT THE VIEWS OF THE USERS, A SURVEY WAS CONDUCTED IN MAY AMONG PATIENTS ATTENDING THE 15 GENERAL OUT-PATIENT CLINICS UNDER PHASE I OF THE PROGRAMME.

OF THE 1,132 PATIENTS Selected oN A RANDOM BASIS, 807 WERE SUCCESSFULLY INTERVIEWED, GIVING A RESPONSE RATE OF 71 PER CENT.

/THE SURVEY