After total hip replacement surgery, care elements that most influence patient experience vary between females and males, according to a new study presented Tuesday at the 2017 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons in San Diego.
For the study, researchers examined Press Ganey survey results for patients who underwent total hip replacement surgery between November 2009 and January 2015. The study included data on 277 men and 414 women. The median age for both genders was 62.
When assessing survey responses based on gender, researchers discovered comparable overall patient satisfaction scores. They also detected no significant difference in the overall perception of care quality regarding nurse communication, staff responsiveness, physician communication, hospital environment, pain management and communication regarding medication.
However, deeper analysis revealed a gender bias in terms of the factors most influencing patient perception of care. Patient satisfaction among men was most influenced by pain management. For women, staff responsiveness, followed by the quality of communication with their providers, had the largest influence on patient care perception.
"Overall, patient satisfaction should be the goal of every orthopedist," said Anton Khlopas, MD, one of the study authors and an orthopedic clinical research fellow at Cleveland Clinic. "Focusing efforts based on gender may allow for better patient satisfaction."
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