Focus on patient experience at Metro North

RBWH Patient Experience Manager and social worker Allison Moffatt

Metro North Health hospitals have introduced Patient Experience Managers to help patients with complex or specific needs and their families navigate their healthcare journey.

Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital (RBWH) Patient Experience Manager and social worker Allison Moffatt said that the hospital system can be complex and confusing for patients and their families.

“My role is to help those with complex or specific needs—including people with disabilities, long-stay patients, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples—manage their healthcare journey,” Allison said.

The Patient Experience Manager role was introduced earlier this year at RBWH, The Prince Charles, Redcliffe and Caboolture Hospitals, the Surgical, Treatment and Rehabilitation Service (STARS), Mental Health and Community and Oral Health (COH) and complements the high-quality care already delivered by clinical teams.

“Our medical, nursing and allied health staff do fantastic work to provide the best possible care for our patients,” Allison said.

“I’ve spent a lot of time speaking with Nurse Unit Managers and other leaders to help identify bottlenecks and system issues, so we can work through them together and achieve better outcomes for patients, families and treating teams.”

Allison is also analysing patient survey data and complaints to identify opportunities to further improve the patient experience.

“While our staff provide excellent care every day, there are always opportunities to do better,” she said.

“One key focus is ensuring we check back with patients to confirm they understand the information we’ve provided—particularly around what they need to do once they are discharged.

“As post-hospital care often involves the support of loved ones, I’d also like to see the patient experience become more inclusive of immediate family members.”