From Data to Trust: How Transparency Enhances Patient Outcomes
Transparency is a modus operandi that should permeate every area of an organization. What should you ask your surgeon or clinic in terms of their protocols or outcomes?
An informed consent model of care removes barriers to affirming healthcare, giving space for both the patient and provider to build trust, a key indicator of professionalism. Your right to know is your responsibility, a commitment to realistic expectations.
One of the fundamental patient obligations is to read all the medical consent forms which are meant to give sharp clarity on the implications, risks and potential complications associated with surgery. Transparency is gained by asking questions about what you don’t understand.
Mission of the Trust and Transparency Initiative
Patients seeking gender affirming medical care often struggle with the opacity of healthcare centers and the complexity of clinical jargon. To address this, Facialteam has launched its Trust & Transparency Initiative, which aims to amplify clear communication of what matters most for patients, staff and collaborators.
Why does Transparency matter?
Clear communications on a clinic’s purpose and the reality of surgery are vital. Here we sum up the 5 pillars of C.L.E.A.R.
1. Commitment to Communication of Care and Compliance of regulations.
2. Leveraging scientific integrity of peer-reviewed data.
3. Ethical obligations and Efficiency in care systems.
4. Affirming informed decision-making towards trust.
5. Responsibility in innovation based on Research & Relationships.
Plus, transparency matters in preventing or resolving conflicts by providing all parties with the clarity to understand issues and negotiate solutions based on shared facts.
What Does Transparency Measure?
Facialteam’s transparency initiative is grounded in accountability and the ethical principles of trust and respect, justice as well as important practical considerations related to quality, efficiency and innovation.
Not all efforts for transparency are measurements. We aim to inform more openly and with clarity on our institutional policies or protocols, as well as our corporate posture in areas such as Diversity-Equity-Inclusion (DEI), Human Resources (HR) and communications.
Transparency is a core component of Facialteam’s commitment to patient well-being. So the factors being measured, in the data hub for example, will range from numbers of patients and procedures, hard data about outcomes, quality perception and satisfaction with results.
Facialteam’s Data Hub
We’ve been collecting and filtering data for over a decade. Facialteam’s Open Data Hub puts the hard facts about facial feminization surgery in the hands of our patients. By making clinical data publicly accessible, researchers can validate and replicate findings, which is fundamental for scientific progress.
The data you see presented here graphically aims to prevent misinformation or bias so that patients and healthcare providers can make informed decisions based on solid evidence.
This are just some graphics from our Data Hub, which will be completely available soon in our website.
Transparency FAQ
To ensure transparency with your healthcare clinics, consider asking for such data as we’ve presented here. Also, you may like to ask these questions to gain greater transparency:
– How many patients have they operated on?
– How many different procedures do they offer?
– Will they share their complication rates for procedures?
– What is their revision rate, and what are the reasons behind them?
– Is there a global and specific satisfaction survey they conduct for quality assurance?
– Are they involved in the medical or academic community?
What Is Facialteam Doing to Improve Transparency?
Facialteam is committed to improving transparency, continually developing avenues that contribute to the overall goal of trust in this initiative:
- In communications, creating graphic illustrations to easily convey information about our company, surgery, and services.
- In HR, promoting sensitivity training and DEI practices.
- In patient relations, increasing direct communication of objective factual information.
- Through scientific literature and participation in the medical community’s congress circuits in the field.
Internally, here are the several channels in which Facialteam prioritizes transparency:
Surgical Consultation Experience
Our professionals continue to provide “no-barrier” access to medical consultations that are not commercially-oriented and free of charge. In our installations in Marbella and Barcelona, Facialteam surgeons offer their qualified advice based on your actual clinical information, such as 3D CT scans of the bone structure and other clinical imagery or testing required. The procedures they believe are NOT necessary or essential to achieve the result you seek are also discussed in order to determine the best possible plan. Follow-up telemedicine consultations may be arranged to discuss smaller points as questions arise about surgical procedures, with realistic expectations always central to the conversations.
Surgical Informed Consents
We ensure patients have access to informed consents before surgery, allowing time for review and questions. We address common concerns, such as potential vulnerabilities in disagreements with the clinic.
Satisfaction Management & Revisions
We have a structured process for managing post-operative satisfaction and revisions. This includes insurance for medical complications and dissatisfaction. Standardization has the effect of sustaining transparency as it creates fixed channels that duly inform patients and permit open channels of communication.
Cancellations and Postponement
The policy regarding cancellations or postponement of surgery is described in every surgical proposal. Partial refunds may only be considered with justification in extraordinary circumstances.
Insurance Coverage Assistance
We assist patients in understanding our own insurance policies in protection of their safety as well as, when possible, aim to help with documentation or MDM proof for securing insurance reimbursements, when applicable.
Complaints Process & Quality Assurance
We have a complaints process and quality assurance program that implements continuous improvements. Our online Whistleblower Policy supports anonymous complaints processes both internally and externally.
Data Privacy Policy
We place great value on privacy, as demonstrated by our OCA certification and GDPR compliance. We use top-notch database software and data-encryption technologies. For privacy concerns, contact our Data Protection Officers at [email protected]. If dissatisfied, you may submit a complaint to the Spanish Authority for the Protection of Personal Data. Requesting a copy of your personal data on file is a free and simple request form.
Details of our data protection policies are available here:
Filming/Recording & Public Sharing
To protect the privacy of our guests and employees, visitors must obtain permission before recording any content. You may record conversations with your healthcare provider for personal use only, with prior permission. Sharing these recordings on social media requires advance permission from the provider.
You may record yourself in the hospital but ensure no other patients or employees are seen or heard. Written permission is required to share recordings featuring others.
Social Media & the Patient-Doctor Relationship
Patients are free to share their views on social media but should consider ethical implications to avoid infringement of the copyrights of Facialteam Group’s trademarks. However, details related to patient cases are prohibited from being discussed by Facialteam on public channels, such as social media, due to Data Protection & Privacy Law.
Therefore, all communications, enquiries or complaints, must be directed through the confidential channels of patient services, such as in-person consultations, phone, email and video calls with coordinators and/or the medical team.
Privacy pact violations of the patient-doctor relationship that occur on social media may affect the maintenance of essential client-provider communications.
We Care About Transparency
A clinical transparency philosophy is crucial for several reasons, contributing to the integrity, efficacy, and ethical standards of medical research and healthcare practices.
Transparency fosters collaboration among researchers, leading to innovative solutions and accelerated progress in medical research and treatment development for the ultimate benefit of our patient community.