Measuring Patient Satisfaction: Why and How

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Measuring Patient Satisfaction Why and How

• Neil Korsen
• Maureen Lee
• Linda Mallard

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• Quality has two dimensions. One has to do with
  technical excellence and the other relates to
  subjective experience. In health care, it is
  quality in this subjective dimension that
  patients experience most directly.
• Gerteis et al, Through the Patients Eyes, 1993

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A Credo

• In a helping profession, the ultimate judge of
  performance is the person helped.
• Most people, including sick people, are
  reasonable most of the time.
• Different people have different, legitimate
  needs.
• Don Berwick, Joint Commission Journal on Quality
  Improvement, 1997

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Through the Patients Eyes

• An empirical study of patient experience of
  illness and health care.
• Survey developed using focus groups and pilot
  testing, then administered to over 6000 patients
  and 2000 family members.
• Developed conceptual framework of Dimensions of
  Patient-Centered Care, with focus on hospital
  care.

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Dimensions of Patient-Centered Care

• Respect for patient values, preferences, and
  needs
• Coordination and integration of care
• Information, communication, and education
• Physical comfort
• Emotional support and alleviation of fear and
  anxiety
• Involvement of family and friends
• Transition and continuity
• For ambulatory care, I might add Access and
  timeliness

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Measuring Dimensions of Patient-Centered Care
Dimension PHO Survey MMP Survey
Respect for patient values X X
Coordination/ Integration X X
Info/ Commun/ Educ X X
Physical Comfort
Emotional Support X X
Involve family/friends
Transition/ continuity ? ?
Access/ Timeliness X X
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Some Nuts and Bolts

• How will you choose a population to survey?
• Who and when to hand out and collect surveys?
• How to use the results?

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References

• Gerteis et al, Through the Patients Eyes, San
  Francisco, Jossey-Bass Publishers, 1993.
• Berwick, The Total Customer Relationship in
  Health Care, Joint Commission Journal on Quality
  Improvement, Vol. 23, 5, pages 245-250, May 1997.