PATIENT SATISFACTION

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PATIENT SATISFACTION
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Definition Patient Satisfaction

• Patient One who receives medical attention,
  care, or treatment.
• Satisfaction The fulfillment or gratification
  of a desire, need, or appetite.
• How do you define patient satisfaction?

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What is Patient Satisfaction?

• As a patient-centered emergency department, we
  believe we ought to place the patients best
  interests above all else. Our efforts should be
  not only genuine and well meaning, but should be
  also measurable, and patient satisfaction
  responses are effective ways to assess this.

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Why Patient Satisfaction ?

• JCAHO, College of Medicine, Hospital
  Administration intensely focused
• Monthly Emergency Department QA meeting
• Risk Management Focus
• Fiscal Considerations
• Stronger emphasis in private sector

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How is Satisfaction Measured?

• Press Ganey
• Patient Safety Net (variance reports)
• Patient Personal Letters
• Patient Calls to Administration
• Patient Advocate Office

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What is Not Measured??

• Quality of Care is not measured
• Many patient surveys intentionally avoid asking
  patients how they feel about the quality of their
  care, presumably because patient are not in
  position to judge their physicians technical
  skill
• C. Thiedke MD
• Author What we know about patient satisfaction

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Press Ganey Survey

• Sent to every ED patient discharged home
• Admitted patients receive Hospital survey (not
  counted)
• Not sent to repeats visit in 60 days, psychiatric
  patients, or deaths
• Weekly vs Monthly vs Quarterly Reports

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Patient Satisfaction Team

• ED RNs
• ED Techs
• ED Clerks
• ED Patient Advocates
• YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (ED Physicians)

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Patient Advocacy Clarifications

• No..they are not trying to tell you how to
  practice
• Yes..they are here to help the patient
• No..they are not secret agents for
  Administration
• Yes.. they are here to help the physician
• They are focused on patients staff
• Ultimate focus is patient outcomes

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ED Patient Satisfaction Advocates Initiatives

• Liaison between Patient Staff
• Nourishment
• ED Brochure
• Reading Video Materials
• Personal Warmth Touch

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EM MD Considerations

• Ultimately, the patient is here to see YOU!
• Patient Advocacy, RNs, bells whistles only go
  so far
• Empathy
• COMMUNICATION!!!!!!

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Effect Of Physician-Patient Relationship

• Cornerstone of good medical practice and risk
  management
• Often more crucial than outcome
• Negative perceptions based on health care
  providers attitudes
• Establish good rapport, concern, and trust
• Establish open communication and effective
  listening skills
• Be aware of limitations

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Barriers to Patient Satisfaction

• Wait Times
• ED Overcrowding
• ED Interruptions (code blue, trauma, etc)
• Consultants
• Radiology Over reads
• Laboratory Turn around times
• Call ins
• Patient expects something from you

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Common Patient Complaints

• Too little time for patient interaction
• Does not listen
• Does not explain well
• Shows no sympathy
• Does not understand
• Incompetent

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Demographics affecting satisfaction

• Ageolder pts more satisfied
• Ethnicityminorities less satisfied
• Genderfemales less satisfied
• Socioecominclower socioecomic less satisfied
• Heath statusChronic illness less satisfied

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Increasing Patient Satisfaction Pearls

• Greet the patient with a hand shake a smile
• Sit down to do your H P
• TALK to your patient, not at them
• Listen to what they have to say
• Give them the opportunity to ask questions
• Dont be afraid to apologize tell patient why
  they had to wait for x, y, and z.
• Listen to your support staff

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How can you affect satisfaction?

• COMMUNICATE
• Utilize as well as listen to Patient Advocates
• Put yourself in the patients shoes
• Push the survey, particularly when you have had a
  positive patient interaction

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Patient Satisfaction Dependent upon

• Arrival to physician time (door to Dr.)
• Boudreaux AEM(s)10/03 (High acuity more
  satisfied)
• Turn-around-time
• Caring, comforting and informing

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Degree to which staff cared about you as a
person

• The number patient survey item for recommending a
  ED (sign of patient loyalty)
• Influenced by intangibles
• Warm Blankets
• Providing nourishment
• Celebrating a patients birthday

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Patient is Royalty
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Author Credit Patient SatisfactionDavid Cheng
MD

• Questions

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Postresidency Tools of the Trade CD

• 13) Negotiation Ramundo
• 14) ABEM Certifications Cheng
• 15) Patient Satisfaction Cheng
• 16) Billing, Coding Documenting Cheng/Hall
• 17) Financial Planning Hevia
• 18) Time Management Promes
• 19) Balancing Work Family Promes Datner
• 20) Physician Wellness Burnout Conrad /Wadman
• 21) Professionalism Fredrick
• 22) Cases for professionalism ethics SAEM
• 23) Medical Directorship Proctor
• 24) Academic Career Guide Chapter 1-8
  Nottingham
• 25) Academic career Guide Chapter 9-16 Noeller

• 1) Career Planning Garmel
• 2) Careers in Academic EM Sokolove
• 3) Private Practice Career Options - Holliman
• 4) Fellowship/EM Organizations Coates/Cheng
• 5) CV Garmel
• 6) Interviewing Garmel
• 7) Contracts for Emergency Physicians Franks
• 8) Salary Benefits Hevia
• 9) Malpractice Derse/Cheng
• 10) Clinical Teaching in the ED Wald
• 11) Teaching Tips Ankel
• 12) Mentoring - Ramundo