When employees report higher levels of satisfaction with their organization, the hospital may have improved patient safety and satisfaction, a study published in The American Journal of Medicine found.
The researchers used data from the Veterans Affairs Medical Centers' Strategic Analytics for Improvement and Learning program to determine the link between organizational/ job-specific satisfaction and patient safety, patient satisfaction and hospital rating.
They found employee job-specific satisfaction does not correlate with patient outcomes, whereas higher satisfaction with the organization was linked to improved patient safety and patient satisfaction. They also found employees are more satisfied with their job and organization when they work at a VA hospital that has a higher rating from CMS.
"Employee organizational satisfaction and job-specific satisfaction are distinct metrics, and it is higher organizational satisfaction that is associated with improved patient care," the researchers concluded.