Staff and Achievements
ER24 takes client feedback seriously. Client Liaison Specialist Saadiq Kariem
explains more.
Since stepping into the role of ER24 Client Liaison Specialist in November 2024, Saadiq
Kariem says he’s gained deep insight into healthcare delivery while navigating the challenges
and rewards of managing patient feedback across a national network of 20+ branches.
From medic to client liaison
My journey with ER24 began six years ago as a Milnerton operations medic. I then transitioned to being an event coordinator and later worked as a branch manager. This diverse background gave me an invaluable foundation and overview of the business. I even spent time as a locum quality assessor in the patient administration department. Each role taught me something different about our organisation, and I can now combine all that experience in my current position.
Managing and responding to feedback
Every day, I oversee complaints, queries, and compliments from patients and employees across our national network. We started with simple patient surveys, but now we run a comprehensive feedback system. A clear complaints policy helps us respond to every concern in a fair and consistent way. We’re committed to responding within two days and giving full feedback within seven days. It’s not just about speed, it’s about showing patients we hear them and are working to sort things out.
Tools that drive our success
We rely on two primary systems to manage and analyse patient feedback:
- Our Patient Safety Feedback Model is the main tool we use to handle complaints. It guides us from the first investigation right through to making changes that help prevent the same problems from happening again. Patients can log detailed complaints through our website, and the system has an internal flow process that ensures nothing falls through the cracks.
- The Care View Model is our survey system. About four weeks after using our service, patients receive a WhatsApp survey. We share the feedback with our teams and quickly follow up on any issues. We review the data monthly to spot trends and improve care.
A culture of continuous improvement
What makes our approach different is how we view complaints. We don’t view them as criticism but as chances to improve because we can’t fix what we don’t know about. Our conflict management platform also gives people another way to raise concerns and helps us improve things across the organisation.
The team behind the mission
I work alongside an incredible team, including ER24 Chief Medical Officer Dr Robyn Holgate, Dr Vernon Wessels, Medical Doctor at ER24’s Site Based Medical Solutions, ER24 Clinical Performance Operations Specialist Heinrich Africa, and ER24 Trauma Support Coordinator Tammy Dicks. Elzaan de Villiers, Mediclinic’s National Client Experience Manager, has also been instrumental in shaping how we manage patient feedback. Naturally this role exposes me to a lot of negative feedback and difficult situations. Patients often find ways to express their frustrations, and it’s my job to relay that information to our teams. But I've learned that every patient's journey matters. I see their progress, witness how we make a difference, and know that our commitment to excellence truly changes lives.
Client feedback: measuring our success
Our metrics show that our approach works. We track whether patients feel they were attended to promptly and measure our Net Promoter Score (NPS) to see how likely they are to recommend ER24 to others. Our current NPS is an impressive 84%, which tells me that despite the challenges, we’re doing something right.
Each complaint, compliment, and query is an opportunity to improve. In this role, I’ve learned that patient experience isn’t just about responding to feedback. It’s about creating a culture where every interaction matters, where continuous improvement is the norm, and where patients feel heard and valued.