| Abstract |
INTRODUCTION
Quality is a parameter of development and evolution of Health Care Organizations and includes
effectiveness, efficiency and technical excellence, as well as safety, accessibility and the
development of patient-centered health services in the context of a continuum of care.
Approaching the quality of the health services provided, in a way that satisfies all those involved
in it, is particularly difficult, because expectations and requirements can often be in conflict. Based
on the patient's requirements and expectations, it is a top priority and has a special importance for
all concerned, because it undoubtedly entails significant health, economic and social benefits.
Quality in Health Services primarily concerns patients, who are users and consumers of these
services, their families, health professionals (doctors, nurses, technologists, administrators), those
who bear the costs of health services and society itself in its entirety.
The main objective of Health Care Organizations is to provide quality health services to society as
a whole. To achieve this, quality management systems are used, which are for every health
organization a management tool, a guide for its development.
PURPOSE
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the quality of health services provided to patients by the
medical and nursing staff of the University General Hospital of Heraklion. The hiring practices of
healthcare workers were also investigated, regarding the quality of interaction with the
customer/user of healthcare services, as well as the way of perceiving the quality and long-term
usefulness of the services/health care provided. In addition, the employees' satisfaction with the
relationship between provider and recipient of health services was examined, as well as the overall
image of their service.
An extensive bibliographic review and capture of the concepts and dimensions of quality, its
importance for providers and recipients, its measurement indicators as well as ISO standard
systems was also carried out.
METHODOLOGY
The data was collected using a structured questionnaire. The sample consisted of all the medical,
nursing and administrative staff of the Regular Outpatient Clinics as well as the Emergency
Department of PAGNI. The analysis of the answers was done with the Statistical Package IBM
SPSS v 24. The Pearson & Spearman coefficient was also used, to check the existence of a
relationship between the variables and the Cronbach's Alpha index, to check the reliability of the
internal structure of the questionnaire.
RESULTS
The results showed the positive, statistically significant correlation between the health
professional's satisfaction with his relationship with the user/recipient of health services, the high level of information to patients and the provision of appropriate care, based on current scientific
knowledge. Also the importance of having a framework for continuous evaluation, control and
improvement of the services provided as well as the prevalence of the hierarchical culture in the
health organizations of the participants.
In addition, a generational culture oriented towards employee satisfaction and support, continuous
improvement and innovation was highlighted as desirable.
CONCLUSIONS
The investigation of the quality and the culture that prevails in the health services, will contribute
to the further understanding of the relationship of the health professional with the user/recipient of
health services and will add research data to the study of the provision of quality health services.
In conclusion, it is emphasized that the desire of an organization to offer more quality services is
not enough to succeed. A determining factor for success or failure is its culture. If the employees
do not have a quality culture, if they have not taken ownership of the values and quality standards
that each Healthcare organization sets, the quality goals will not work.
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