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"Radiography insensitivity & lack of response to feedback"

About: Albany Health Campus

(as a relative),

I am writing on behalf of my elderly parent who attended the hospital for an echocardiogram recently. 

In the examination room they were told to take everything off to the waist and put on the gown they were handed by the radiographer who was a different gender. They waited to be told where to get undressed, they said just do it here. They felt uncomfortable getting undressed in front of this staff member and so turned away to take their clothes off. 

This feeling of embarrassment has played on my parent's mind and they thought it appropriate to give feedback about what had happened to someone at the hospital, in case a more sensitive approach could be taken with patients in future.

My parent has rung the hospital at least 16 times, they have left multiple messages on the answering machine that informed them that no one was available but someone would be in touch. My parent has asked to be put through to anyone in the hospital who might be able to acknowledge their problem. No one has contacted my parent.

Therefore, something that was slightly upsetting at the time has become an incident that our family are now feeling quite angry about, and in my opinion, has been compounded by what seems a total lack of interest or care. 

We understand there may not be room for a cubicle or curtain. However, perhaps the radiographer might have given my parent verbal reassurance that they would give my parent a moment's privacy. And more importantly to me, if Albany Hospital website invites people to give feedback, it would be helpful if there was some way of doing so without, in my opinion, having to resort to publishing on the Internet.

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Responses

Response from Juan Clark, Operations Manager, Operations, Albany Health Campus, WACHS Great Southern 2 years ago
We have made a change
Juan Clark
Operations Manager, Operations,
Albany Health Campus, WACHS Great Southern
Submitted on 9/06/2021 at 1:24 PM
Published on Care Opinion at 1:39 PM


Dear julyyw43,

I am terribly sorry to hear about your parent’s experience when having an echocardiogram at the Albany Health Campus. Patients attending our services are particularly vulnerable and should be provided care in a respectful and dignified manner.

When we read that your parent had left numerous messages at the hospital we realised that those messages were left on a phone that is no longer manned. We identified your parent’s messages and one of my colleagues spoke to them today.

As a result of your feedback and your parent’s experience, we will ensure that patients providing feedback will be transferred directly to the Manager of the area they are expressing concern about.

The echocardiogram that your parent underwent was carried out by a private contractor on the Health Campus. I undertake to clearly determine that they did see your parent, show them this story and ask them to identify how they might improve others' experience of their service. We will work with them to prevent this from happening to anyone else.

Thank you again for sharing this story, please do not hesitate to call me, Juan Clark, Operations Manager on 0427 430 803.

Again my sincere apologies,

Juan Clark

AHC Operations Manager

  • {{helpful}} {{helpful == 1 ? "person thinks" : "people think"}} this response is helpful

Update posted by julyyw43 (a relative)

Thank you for your response to our feedback. My parent appreciated your personal call and the fact that you acknowledged her concerns. It is helpful to know that her persistence in letting you know about the issue will hopefully improve procedures for other patients in the future.

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