Institute for Healthcare Improvement: Optimize Examining Room Conditions

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Implement Comprehensive Women’s Health Care for HIV-Infected Women:

Optimize Examining Room Conditions

Appointment length and uneasiness with gynecological (GYN) exams contribute to patients’ dislike of GYN appointments. Making changes in the examining room to increase the efficiency of the exam and help patients feel more comfortable during the exam has several benefits. Most importantly, these changes increase the likelihood that patients will return for their next gynecological exam, as well as improve both patient and staff satisfaction with the procedure. Implementing the suggestions below to make examining rooms GYN-compatible and “patient friendly” helps to increase the rate of kept appointments and promote a positive attitude toward GYN care.

Tips

Make all examining rooms GYN-compatible to eliminate the need for patients to move between examining rooms for different parts of their medical visit.
Create "patient friendly" examining rooms:
- Put locks on doors or a curtain in the room to ensure privacy during the exam.
- Ensure that examining rooms are well heated and otherwise comfortable.
- Provide well-made patient gowns that do not fall off or tear during the exam.
- Stock exam rooms in advance with the necessary supplies to allow the GYN exam to proceed as quickly and efficiently as possible.
- Have sanitary pads available for women in case of vaginal spotting after the exam.
- Keep a range of speculum sizes on hand to make the exam as physically comfortable for the client as possible, and warm the speculum prior to use.

Tools

Promoting Gynecological (GYN) Care for HIV-Infected Women



Implement Comprehensive Women's Health Care for HIV-Infected Women Measures Improvement Stories

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