"One size fits all" policy should not be adopted. Worker's Daily: Is it allowed to accompany and care for | Family members | Worker's Daily
According to a report by CCTV on June 26th, a family member of a patient recently reported to the media that during their hospitalization at a hospital in Beijing, the hospital did not allow their family members to accompany them on their own and had to hire another caregiver. And the cost of caregivers and additional accommodation has put considerable economic pressure on oneself. Reporters visiting multiple hospitals in Beijing found that hospitals, patients, and family members have different opinions on the issue of accompanying care.
From the hospital's point of view, there is a certain reason for refusing to accompany family members. After all, the hospital environment is complex and there is a risk of cross-infection. At the same time, medical care is becoming more and more precise. Accompanying is no longer as simple as keeping vigil. Accompanying requirements such as observing illness and recording disease indicators are getting higher and higher. In addition, family escort is not conducive to creating a quiet hospital environment.
From the perspective of a hospital, there is a certain reason to refuse family accompaniment, as the hospital environment is complex and there is a risk of cross infection within. At the same time, medical care is increasingly emphasizing precision, and accompanying care is no longer as simple as staying up at night. The requirements for accompanying care, such as observing the condition and recording disease indicators, are becoming higher and higher. In addition, accompanying family members is not conducive to creating a quiet hospital environment.
However, the family's request for self care is equally justified. The companionship of loved ones is both intimate and thoughtful, with more meticulous physical and psychological care, which is often beyond the reach of caregivers or medical staff as outsiders. Moreover, hiring caregivers and medical staff is expensive, and for some patients seeking medical treatment in other places, if their families cannot accompany them in the hospital, they may have to bear additional accommodation costs.
Currently, professional medical caregivers are relatively scarce, and those hired by family members are still mostly caregivers with limited nursing skills and abilities. Their fees and service quality have been repeatedly criticized. In contrast, family members are close and trusted by patients, and their level of attention and patience is often much higher than that of caregivers. There is also sufficient trust between family members.
Through this incident and discussion, the issue of who prioritizes the improvement of the inpatient care system should be given attention by relevant departments. If we always prioritize technology as the principle, we will reject family caregivers in a one size fits all manner.
Hospitals should be a place full of human touch, and there should be more consideration of patient-centered care. When exploring and improving the inpatient care system, different situations should be distinguished to provide different choices. When family members are unable to accompany patients due to busy work or other reasons, we can provide patients with quality assurance and more reasonable accompanying services at a reasonable price; When family members wish to spend time with sick relatives or wish to alleviate financial pressure through companionship, as long as there are no medical taboos, they should try their best to meet their requirements and not refuse them.
