Australian oncologist and author Ranjana Srivastava has argued that patients should feel able to raise concerns about their healthcare, while recognising that not every difficult medical encounter requires a formal complaint.
In an opinion article published by The Guardian, Srivastava writes that poor communication and patients feeling dismissed can contribute to serious failures in care. She draws on two personal accounts involving hospital treatment and communication between patients and medical staff.
One account involved a patient who experienced severe pain after surgery and later felt dismissed when seeking help. Another involved a hospital patient with pneumonia who was experiencing severe pain and unstable vital signs and became concerned after nurses almost administered medication despite a red wristband identifying a morphine allergy.
According to Srivastava, the second patient’s care improved after he indicated that he intended to make a formal complaint. She writes that doctors subsequently explained his test results, acknowledged the medication error and provided more attentive care.
Srivastava argues that complaints can help patients seek resolution and identify problems, but says direct communication may resolve some concerns without a formal process. She also notes that healthcare organisations have mechanisms for raising concerns, including liaison officers and patient advocates.
The article highlights the power imbalance between doctors and patients and says additional barriers can make it harder for disadvantaged people, older people and people from culturally diverse backgrounds to speak up.
Srivastava also acknowledges the pressures facing doctors and argues that patients should show a degree of understanding where possible. Her central argument is that healthcare systems should ensure patients with legitimate concerns are heard, rather than simply seeking to reduce the number of complaints.
The Guardian article is an opinion piece based partly on Srivastava’s personal experiences and reflections. It does not establish that the incidents described represent healthcare outcomes across Australia.
Source: The Guardian
