A randomized trial of four patient satisfaction questionnaires

Area of Science:

• Healthcare research
• Health services research
• Patient experience measurement

Background:

• Hospitals increasingly utilize patient satisfaction surveys.
• A lack of evidence exists to guide the selection of the most appropriate survey instrument.
• Comparing available patient satisfaction questionnaires is crucial for effective implementation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate and compare the acceptability and patient perceptions of four distinct patient satisfaction questionnaires.
• To provide evidence-based guidance for selecting patient satisfaction survey instruments.

Main Methods:

• A randomized trial involving 2850 patients discharged from two Swiss teaching hospitals.
• Comparison of four questionnaires: Picker, Patient Judgment System (PJS), Sequs, and a Lausanne-developed questionnaire.
• Assessment of response rates, missing data, completion time, and patient ratings.

Main Results:

• Response rates were comparable across all four questionnaires (68-73%).
• The Picker questionnaire exhibited higher missing data rates and longer completion times compared to others.
• Despite longer completion times, the Picker questionnaire had fewer patients reporting unaddressed aspects of their hospital stay.

Conclusions:

• No single patient satisfaction questionnaire demonstrated uniform superiority in acceptability or patient evaluations.
• All four evaluated questionnaires are deemed suitable for use in hospital patient satisfaction surveys.
• The choice of questionnaire may depend on specific institutional priorities regarding data completeness and patient-reported aspects.