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Key drivers of patient experience in ambulatory paediatric cardiology

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 May 2017

Shalini D. Allam
Affiliation:
University of Central Florida College of Medicine, Orlando, Florida, United States of America
Mary Mehta*
Affiliation:
Pediatric Cardiology, Nemours Children’s Health System, Pensacola, Florida, United States of America
Bertha Ben Khallouq
Affiliation:
University of Central Florida College of Medicine, Orlando, Florida, United States of America
James F. Burrows
Affiliation:
Department of Service Excellence, Nemours Children’s Health System, Jacksonville, Florida, United States of America
Paul Rosen
Affiliation:
Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital, Wilmington, Delaware, United States of America
*
Correspondence to: M. Mehta, MD, Nemours Children’s Specialty Care, Pensacola, 5153 N. 9th Ave, Pensacola, FL 32504, United States of America. Tel: +850 505 4773; Fax: +850 473 4505; E-mail: Mary.Mehta@nemours.org

Abstract

Patient experience is becoming a central focus of healthcare. A broad range of studies on how to increase patient satisfaction ratings exists; however, they lack the specificity to adequately guide physicians and hospitals on how to improve patient experience. The objective of this study was to define the aspects of patient experience within paediatric cardiologist practices that can serve as predictors of excellent patient satisfaction. From 1 January, 2013 to 28 February, 2015 (26 months), outpatients who visited paediatric cardiologists were asked to complete a 39-question patient satisfaction survey regarding their experience. Surveys were collected over a 26-month period by Press Ganey, an independent provider of patient satisfaction surveys. Participants were asked to rate their experience on a 1–5 Likert-scale: a score of 1 demonstrated a “poor” experience, whereas a score of 5 demonstrated a “very good” experience. This retrospective study of 2468 responses determined that cheerfulness of the practice (r=0.85, p<0.001), a cohesive staff (r=0.83, p<0.001), and a care provider explaining problems and conditions (r=0.81, p<0.001) were key aspects of a paediatric cardiologist’s practice that can be used as predictors of overall patient satisfaction. Awareness of how doctors can personalise a patient’s experience is vital to achieve greater patient satisfaction and, ultimately, better patient outcomes.

Type
Original Articles
Copyright
© Cambridge University Press 2017 

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