Effect Of Development in Elderly Care Management, Surin Hospital

Abstract

Background: Elderly population is continually increasing along with medical complications. Management of elderly care system should regards the coverage and continuum of care in which enable the elderly to access and satisfy with medical service. Consequently improve the health status of the elderly.
Objective: To develop the elderly care service in Surin hospital and responsible community area
Study Design: Participatory Action Research
Method: The study had three phases; 1) define the context and service management by in-depth interview with three responsible nurses of Surin hospital and primary care setting and ten elderly patients by non-participate observation during four months of elderly care service in hospital and communities. 2) Develop the elderly care service through development committee. After brainstorming, the management system protocol of elderly care in Surin hospital and responsible area was verified the content validity by five experts in five months. The protocol had been adopted to practice and improved for a period of twelve months. 3) Evaluation of patient satisfaction and average service time in out-patient department, Surin hospital in 320 elderly patients. Medical staff satisfaction was assessed by ten staffs. Outcome of community project was evaluated after three months of implementation. Data was analyzed by percentage, mean, content analysis and independent t-test.
Result: The developed management system of elderly care in Surin hospital comprised of 1) system to manage elderly patient care service on Surin hospital 2) system to manage elderly patient care service in community setting. The evaluation of system management found that (1) average time of elderly patient care service in out-patient department decreased to 76 minutes (2) The satisfied of elderly patients and staff after receiving program was significantly higher than that before receiving program at the p<.001 level.
Conclusion: The developed management system of elderly care service could be the protocol to control quality of continuum service in elderly care. The management system needs participation of practitioners to give opinions in every aspects of service to final easy-to-use protocol and feel as part the service system which resulted in staff satisfaction and willingness to provide the service therefore achieve the organization’s goal.