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Measure patient satisfaction

Hospitalist Leadership Connection, December 28, 2010

To provide physicians with critical patient satisfaction, hospitalist programs should identify, measure, and collect the data that will be most useful. Although many hospitals turn to third-party organizations, such as Press Ganey or NPC+Picker, to help them develop systems for capturing patient satisfaction information, you can also design your own survey process.

Before getting additional diagnostic information, consider how that information will change your management. Ask questions that will allow you to understand and act on the feedback. Notably, the HCAHPS survey includes questions in the following six domains:

• Nurse-to-patient communication
• Nursing services
• Physician-to-patient communication
• Physical environment
• Pain control
• Communication to patients about medications

The following are possible questions to include in your own survey that specifically focus on physician-to-patient communication:

• Did the hospitalist spend adequate time with you?
• Did the hospital display adequate concern for your condition/treatment?
• Was there sufficient time to ask the hospitalist questions and relay any worries?
• Did the hospitalist keep you informed throughout your hospital stay?
• Was the hospitalist courteous and considerate?
• Were you satisfied with the hospitalist’s manner of communication?
• Was the hospitalist available to meet with family members?

The above excerpt is adapted from Tools and Strategies for an Effective Hospitalist Program, published by HCPro, Inc.

You can also find a free form of a patient satisfaction survey in the December 14 issue of Hospitalist Leadership Connection.
 

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