title: A step towards quality improvement: the hospital patient representative program.
abstract: The hospital patient representative is the liaison between patients and other hospital staff members and administration. This person may be known by different titles, ie, patient representative, guest representative, patient advocate, and others. Unfortunately, no recent studies have been conducted to identify current demographic characteristics of a typical hospital patient representative; data from older studies is outdated and no longer useful. This paper presents the results of a national survey of hospital patient representatives. This study sought to identify and analyze basic demographic and occupational data of this group. An analysis of the patient representative perceived roles in the hospital was also conducted.
authors.affiliation: Harris Methodist Health Plan, Ft. Worth, TX 76021.
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Waters
authors.forename: A F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: al-Assaf
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D015285:Hospital-Patient Relations; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008393:Marriage; D008875:Middle Aged; D010344:Patient Advocacy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010564:Personnel, Hospital; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States