Several recent studies, surveys and physician viewpoint pieces highlight issues in patient satisfaction, from evaluating patient complaints and requests to taking a closer look at how retail healthcare affects patient experience.
Here are five recently explored issues regarding patient satisfaction.
1. Patients are less satisfied when physicians say 'no.' Patients may report lower satisfaction with their care when physicians deny their requests for referrals, lab tests or prescriptions, according to a study published in JAMA Internal Medicine.
2. Physicians and nurses delay giving patients bad news. A recent Medscape poll found half of physicians and more than two out of five nurses and advanced practice nurses have delayed giving patients bad news.
3. Physician age affects patient complaint rates. Younger ophthalmologists were more likely to receive patient complaints than their older colleagues, according to a study published in JAMA Ophthalmology.
4. Retail healthcare lacks personal connection. Retail healthcare is impersonal and does not reflect what patients really want, argues Timothy J. Hoff, PhD, professor of management, healthcare systems and health policy at Northeastern University in Boston, in a STATop-ed.
5. Healthcare price-checking still presents challenges for patients. Despite the number of online resources tailored for healthcare consumers, few have information on the cost of common medical procedures, according to a study published in JAMA Internal Medicine.