Well done, Groote Schuur
I AM fortunate to be a member of a medical aid scheme and have always enjoyed excellent private health care. Sadly, I have often read in newspapers about the terrible state of our public health care system. But I was quite impressed with the state of Groote Schuur Hospital when I visited a patient last week.
The immaculate state of the floors in the corridors were quite impressive. The polished floors looked as if they were covered by a thin layer of glass. I was blown away by the cleanliness of the corridors. Amazingly, there was not a single piece of paper or wrapper lying on the floor.
The security guards were very strict and enforced the rule that only one visitor could visit a patient in the casualty/emergency ward. The administrators in the ward were meticulous with their paper and computer work. The doctors and nurses were very professional.
I was amazed by the service offered by this public hospital and I wondered what the recipe of Groote Schuur was… But then it dawned on me that there was no special recipe for its success.
Every cog in this complex hospital system is simply doing what is required of it, or rather of him or her. From the sweeper to the chief administrator – the superintendent, and from the nurse to the super-specialist. Yes, every employee at Groote Schuur Hospital is simply doing his or her job to the best of his or her ability. No one is shying away from their duties and responsibilities. Importantly, each employee loves their job. And this, is what I think is the recipe of Groote Schuur’s success.
I salute each staff member at Groote Schuur Hospital for contributing to this well-oiled machine. I am indeed extremely proud to have witnessed an excellent quality of health care service offered to patients at a public hospital which is on par with that offered by private hospitals.
All public institutions can learn from Groote Schuur and simply do what it was mandated to do, by ensuring that each employee performs his or her function properly and also to the best of his/her ability. I am convinced that should Groote Schuur’s approach be implemented at all public institutions then we can definitely turn the public service around from being dysfunctional to one that improves the lives of the public.
I take my hat off to the staff at Groote Schuur.
Well done!
ADIEL ISMAIL Mount View