As healthcare becomes more and more consumer centric, many hospitals have adopted flashier and flashier means to satisfy patients. From five-course meals to Sunday papers delivered bedside, hospitals amenities have ballooned in costs. Unsurprisingly, many doctors and healthcare administrators have balked at these opulent, expensive patient satisfaction measures.
According to an article from patientengagementhit.com, reconciling patient satisfaction and patient experience requires an understanding of what patients go through in a hospital. Patient experience is not based on a fleeting moment or certain amenity, but rather on the people they come in contact with.
The key findings of this article were found to be:
- The key factors driving positive patient experience were quality of care, care coordination, and empathy.
- Factors such as wait times and amenities were rarely statistically significant.
- Hospitals receiving the top scores on HCAHPS Overall Satisfaction scores increased from 70% to 73% in between 2013 and 2017
- Hospitals at the median for patient satisfaction in 2013 were found in the 35th percentile in 2017.
These findings show that true patient satisfaction comes from hospitals understanding what a patient is going through, rather than through superficial items such as amenities. Creating a quality patient experience through empathy and care coordination, therefore, are the key ways to improve patient satisfaction.
To check out the full article, click on this link.
