Improving patient satisfaction through physician education, feedback, and incentives

E-ISSN： 1553-5606|10|8|497-502

ISSN： 1553-5592

Source： JOURNAL OF HOSPITAL MEDICINE, Vol.10, Iss.8, 2015-08, pp. : 497-502

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Abstract

BACKGROUNDPatient satisfaction has been associated with improved outcomes and become a focus of reimbursement.OBJECTIVEEvaluate an intervention to improve patient satisfaction.DESIGNNonrandomized, pre‐post study that took place from 2011 to 2012.SETTINGLarge tertiary academic medical center.PARTICIPANTSInternal medicine (IM) resident physicians, non‐IM resident physicians, and adult patients of the resident physicians.INTERVENTIONIM resident physicians were provided with patient satisfaction education through a conference, real‐time individualized patient satisfaction score feedback, monthly recognition, and incentives for high patient‐satisfaction scores.MAIN MEASURESPatient satisfaction on physician‐related and overall satisfaction questions on the HCAHPS survey. We conducted a difference‐in‐differences regression analysis comparing IM and non‐IM patient responses, adjusting for differences in patient characteristics.KEY RESULTSIn our regression analysis, the percentage of patients who responded positively to all 3 physician‐related Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) questions increased by 8.1% in the IM and 1.5% in the control cohorts (absolute difference 6.6%, P = 0.04). The percentage of patients who would definitely recommend this hospital to friends and family increased by 7.1% in the IM and 1.5% in the control cohorts (absolute difference 5.6%, P = 0.02). The national average for the HCAHPS outcomes studied improved by no more than 3.1%.LIMITATIONSThis study was nonrandomized and was conducted at a single site.CONCLUSIONTo our knowledge, this is the first intervention associated with a significant improvement in HCAHPS scores. This may serve as a model to increase patient satisfaction, hospital revenue, and train resident physicians. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2015;10:497–502. © 2015 Society of Hospital Medicine