Meet Our Patient Services Department
If medical practitioners within a health organization are thought of as the cast of a play, Patient Services would be the crew. They work tirelessly behind the scenes to make sure patients take center stage and feel cared for by providing important little extras and smoothing over any hiccups in day-to-day operations.
In order to make sure that patients are comfortable and that their needs are being met, the Patient Services department provides a plethora of services, including (but by no means limited to) the following:
Language support – Whether for appointments or emergency visits, a Patient Services officer is always on call. If we do not have a team member who can speak the patient’s desired language at hand, we call a telephone interpretation service;
Emotional support to patients and their loved ones;
Social care and services to inpatients and their family. These services often make the greatest difference for the wellbeing of those in our care, and as such are the closest to the hearts of the team. They can include:
Picking up relatives of an unexpectedly hospitalized foreign patient from the airport;
Making phone calls to a patient’s family overseas to provide emotional support;
Accompanying such a patient’s family outside the hospital to find items like special food or clothing;
Support with visa extensions and emergency visa letters for family members;
Contacting embassies, tour guides, colleagues, or insurance companies;
Helping with laundry or shopping;
Assisting visiting family members;
Finding innovative ways to make patients smile;
Working with the palliative care team to give emotional support and guidance to patients and families who are dealing with end of life issues;
Facilitating with feedback by consulting with all departments to ensure constant improvement of our services;
Ensuring that dietary requirements are met by working closely with kitchen staff;
Creating a sense of community by addressing the cultural needs of each patient. Gestures that most people would not think twice about – a bow instead of a handshake, or helping patients to keep their headscarf on during an X-ray – are essential pieces of their behavioral repertoire. They also plan celebrations of many of our patients’ national holidays with fun activities for the whole family.
In essence, the Patient Services team creates the magic behind a seamless healthcare experience. They act as advocates for every one of our patients to make certain they receive the outstanding care they deserve. They make patients our first priority in everything they do – and they take pride in providing excellent service.
If ever you need any assistance from the Patient Services team, do not hesitate to contact them by email at patientservices@ufh.com.cn, or by phone at 5927 7350.