It is a fact that a person does not go to a hospital just to visit. They go to a hospital because they need care and treatment which they cannot provide for themselves. There is also the expectation that they will walk into a well-established health care facility with friendly and professional staff who will be able to attend to their medical needs.

However, the picture I took represents my thoughts on how patients feel about the health system. The broken racket lying on the plinth represents what people experience in the hospital environment. They come with an expectation that they will be well taken care of and everything will go smoothly, but when reality hits them they are broken inside. Frustration, anger, mistrust and feelings of neglect arises, and their perception of health care systems are influenced. The plinth on the other hand symbolizes the patient’s expectations. I feel like most people expect that they will walk into a good environment with good services and staff members who are professional and polite and treat patients with respect. This is not always the case. A study from Naidu (2009), found that patients were disappointed with the care and responsiveness they received. They also complained about their comfort and privacy during the screening process. Patients also mentioned that the hospital procedure was not clearly explained to them, which makes them dissatisfied. The services of medical staff and availability is also a problem which patients are facing, according to De Jager, Du Plooy & Avadi (2010).

I chose this picture because it clearly highlights the irony between people’s expectations and the reality of hospital systems. It also represents a literal and figurative meaning. Literally it means a facilitation with equipment with a person in need of medical services. On the other hand, it depicts a health care environment which cannot provide for the basic medical needs of a patient and leave them broken, hurt and in pain.

The equipment and facilities are there to cater for the needs of the patients, but the absence of qualified physiotherapists, creates a long waiting list and frustration among the patients.

To me it is important that the hospitals gear up their game and start to employ people who has a passion for health care. Those who can put the needs of others before their own. Through this the standard of service delivery will drastically improve.

References

Naidu, A. (2009). Factors affecting patient satisfaction and healthcare quality. International journal of health care quality assurance, 22(4), 366-381.

De Jager, J. W., Du Plooy, A. T., & Ayadi, M. F. (2010). Delivering quality service to in-and out-patients in a South African public hospital. African Journal of Business Management, 4(2), 133-139.