12 May 2024

Digital automated customer feedback tools are playing a crucial role in the government’s efforts to enhance health services and improve health outcomes, Health Minister Dr Edwin Dikoloti has said.

The minister was speaking at the launch of the the customer feedback tools at Nyangabgwe Referral Hospital recently. 

Dr Dikoloti expressed his appreciation for the hospital’s decision to implement digital customer satisfaction surveys, highlighting the need to move away from traditional paper-based processes still in use in many government departments.

He  emphasised that the automated tools align with Botswana’s focus on digitisation as outlined in the Reset Agenda’s third priority and the Ministry of Health’s e-health strategy introduced in 2020. 

He noted that such initiatives were instrumental in reshaping and enhancing healthcare services across the country.

Furthermore, Dr Dikoloti pointed out that the feedback tool would not only improve patient satisfaction but also streamline the hospital’s responsiveness to customer and staff feedback, thereby enhancing overall efficiency in patient care.

The minister stressed that digitisation was essential for capturing comprehensive feedback effectively, providing patients with a convenient avenue to share their opinions from the comfort of their homes.

He said government was investing in technological advancements, including internet connectivity in key public facilities like hospitals. Additionally, he mentioned ongoing efforts to digitize patient management systems to boost efficiency and overall health outcomes. Dr Dikoloti urged Nyangabgwe Referral Hospital’s management to fully leverage the digital platform and promote its use among customers to facilitate convenient feedback submission. 

“It is when such services are fully utilised that they can bring forth results and help improve patients care and build the Nyangabgwe Hospital with top notch services,” Dr Dikoloti added.

Nyangabgwe Hospital Superintendent, Dr Ivan Kgetse said the aim of the digital automated customer feedback tool was to increase customer satisfaction rate through receiving feedback, work on gaps and reward hard work.

Dr Kgetse said the feedback tool would enable the hospital to strengthen a successful collaboration with its stakeholders as they would receive feedback on the services offered.

Dr Kgetse said the hospital also aimed to strengthen the existing structures through training, providing formal courses and workshops for staff and through mentorship and coaching so as to produce high quality leaders.

He also added that staff welfare was catered for since a motivated and happy staff would work towards achieving set goals.

He said the hospital hasd introduced recreational facilities for its staff as a way of motivating and enhancing staff engagement.

Dr Kgetse further said creating a conducive environment for optimal service delivery was one of their key mandates.

He added that timely procurement and maintenance of equipment helped to keep the hospital highly effective and the environment accommodative.

Nyangabgwe Hospital Chief Nursing Officer, Ms Idah Mmopiemang said it was important to get customer feedback to know areas which needed improvement.

She also noted that they were willing to take critical feedback with an open heart and receive criticism so as to fill the gaps and make customers happy.

Ms Mmopiemang said feedback was important for planning and to achieve the hospital’s goal of delivering quality medical health care services. Member of Parliament for Francistown West, Mr Ignatius Moswaane applauded the hospital for launching the automated feedback application, stating that it would help to address patients needs.

He added that the tools would help to improve customer service in the facility as everyone would be accountable. 

Mr Moswaane said the feedback tool would also help monitor progress across all the facilities and find ways of working on the weaknesses. Ends