Dr Delroy Fray, clinical coordinator for the Western Regional Health Authority (WRHA), says significant progress has been made in compassionate care within hospitals across the four parishes under its jurisdiction – St James, Hanover, Trelawny and Westmoreland.

Fray told a JIS Think Tank on July 14 that the same can also be said about health centres across the region.

“I’ve seen a marked difference,” he said, attributing this progress to proactive staff training and a strong institutional focus on patient-centred service.

Dr Fray pointed out that the WRHA has adopted a multifaceted approach to fostering empathy and respect within healthcare settings.

“We are very aggressive in addressing how staff interact with patients,” he noted.

“Monthly meetings with doctors serve as platforms to remind healthcare providers of the importance of compassion, empathy, and respectful communication. These ongoing discussions aim to reinforce the idea that how patients are treated can significantly influence their health outcomes,” he added.

Fray explained that a key component of this initiative is the establishment of robust complaint mechanisms at facilities like Cornwall Regional Hospital, where patients are encouraged to voice concerns through various channels – WhatsApp, written submissions, or oral complaints – facilitated by dedicated customer service representatives.

“We want to ensure that patients’ issues are heard and addressed promptly,” Dr Fray said.

“Initially, the complaint is logged by a receiving officer and then escalated to the parish manager. Depending on the nature of the issue, the patient may be invited for a direct conversation, or the staff member involved may be brought into a meeting to resolve the matter. If the complaint cannot be settled at the local level, it proceeds to regional authorities, and ultimately, if necessary, to the Ministry of Health. This tiered approach ensures accountability and continuous service improvement,” he said.

Fray also highlighted that the reduction in complaints over time is a strong indicator of progress.

“The number of complaints I receive now is much less, which suggests that staff are becoming more sensitive and responsive to patients’ needs,” he said.

In addition to complaint resolution, Dr. Fray further noted that much effort has been invested in staff training, focusing on customer service and patient engagement.

The WRHA, he said, has employed customer service representatives at health centres across the region, further emphasising the importance of respectful treatment and effective communication.

Compassionate care is a holistic approach that combines clinical excellence with kindness, empathy, and respect. Its roots in Jamaica trace back to the broader global movement advocating for patient-centred healthcare, emphasising that respect and understanding are integral to healing.

In Jamaica, the concept gained momentum through national health reforms that recognised the critical role of dignity and compassion in improving patient satisfaction and health outcomes. These initiatives aim to foster a healthcare environment where patients feel valued, heard, and cared for, not just treated as cases or numbers.

“Compassionate care is a work in progress, and the progress we’ve made, so far, is promising. We are committed to making respectful, empathetic treatment the standard across all our facilities,” he said optimistically.