Despite the enormous amount of knowledge that was imparted upon you during your education, perhaps one of the most important elements of maintaining a successful practice was, most likely, barely touched upon. The concept of quality healthcare is not complete without a rigorous discussion of patient satisfaction. A good physician/patient relationship is a crucial element of a successful practice. The fact that patients do not complain does not necessarily mean they are satisfied with the care they are receiving.
Let’s face it — in the big picture, seemingly no matter which profession, a majority of complaints to licensing boards do not revolve around specific practice-based issues. Instead, those complaints tend to be based on client-expectation issues. From this, we can make the claim that happy clients do not tend to complain. If your practice can meet your patients’ expectations, then your patients will more than likely react favorably by continuing their relationship with your practice, and perhaps even recommend your practice to a friend.
The best method to gauge your patients’ opinion of their experience is to ask them, and by far the most cost effective method of achieving that is by a properly constructed and thoroughly analyzed patient satisfaction survey.
Objections to patient viewpoints
Certainly, there are what some see as legitimate objections to the patient satisfaction surveys. Certainly high on that list would be the issue of cost. Such surveys may be offered through medical professional liability companies. If not, there are independent consulting firms that can work with your practice to design and analyze a survey. Additional costs could include staff time necessary to distribute and collect the survey.
Another concern might be the dependability of the data. Rest assured, though, because a properly written survey can be a very powerful and reliable tool. Whether you elect to offer a blanket approach, or target specific groups of patients within your practice, the results won’t lie. They will provide true insight into the level of satisfaction your patients are feeling
Survey goals
The goal of any patient satisfaction survey must be to assess the patient’s perception of the practice. It sounds simple, and, in fact, Leonard M. Fromer, MD, executive medical director, Group Practice Forum and Assistant Clinical Professor, Department of Family Medicine, University of California at Los Angeles, agrees. Fromer was quoted in the January 1999 issue of Family Practice Management as saying “Keep It Simple.” He continues: “Ask about the top three issues. Practices have three general goals when they interact with patients: to provide quality healthcare, to make that care accessible, and to treat patients with courtesy and respect. Your survey questions, then, should cover each of the three areas: quality issues, access issues, and interpersonal issues.”
Remember, the goal of this type of survey is not to assess whether or not the patient received sound medical treatment. Rather, it is to assess how the practice, not the doctor, treated the patient. Did the doctor listen? Was it easy to make an appointment? Would the patient recommend the doctor to a friend or family member? None of these questions deal with the medical aspect of the visit. They are designed to assess the patient’s perception of the interpersonal contacts made during the setting and execution of his or her appointment.
Survey benefits
Knowing whether or not the patient’s overall level of satisfaction was positive or negative can have serious impact on the practice of the practice, and the only way to take advantage of this knowledge is to actually address the issues raised by the results of the survey.
If the patient satisfaction survey indicates that it is generally easy to make an appointment, but also indicates that there is a level of dissatisfaction with the amount of time actually spent with the doctor, adjustments should be made. If the survey shows that generally, patients accomplished their goals with their visit, but that there would likely not be a referral to a friend or family member, adjustments should be made. The vast array of benefits from a successful patient satisfaction survey will only be realized if the entire staff is made aware of the results, and both strengths and weaknesses of the practice are recognized and acted upon.
Napoleon Bonaparte was credited with recognizing that “even the lowliest footsoldier carries the General’s baton in his nap sack.” It might not be the doctor who is potentially creating an issue with the practice. It is generally a team effort, so staff awareness of the results of a survey is essential.
The knowledge of the patient’s opinion of his or her experience in your office is invaluable. It is, in many ways, just as important to the success of the practice as a correct diagnosis is to the health of the patient. In fact, if used properly, the Patient Satisfaction Survey can truly serve as a diagnostic tool for the practice. It will help you increase patient safety, reduce your liability, and perhaps even serve as a marketing tool. Keep in mind that happy clients tend to make positive recommendations, whether for a good restaurant or a good doctor.
Source: 8/24/15 | Stephanie Cuomo, RN – Senior risk management and patient safety specialist at CAP
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