Practical problems of conducting patient-satisfaction surveys

Area of Science:

• Medical Education Research
• Healthcare Quality Improvement
• Patient Experience Measurement

Background:

• Patient-satisfaction surveys are commonly used to evaluate the humanistic behaviors and skills of internal medicine residents.
• Previous studies highlight the utility of these surveys in assessing physician performance from the patient's perspective.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the practical aspects and challenges encountered during the first patient-satisfaction survey conducted by the authors.
• To provide insights for other institutions considering patient-satisfaction surveys for housestaff evaluation.

Main Methods:

• A validated patient-satisfaction questionnaire was administered to both ambulatory and hospitalized patients under the care of internal medicine interns.
• The study was conducted in inpatient and outpatient settings at a major university internal medicine residency program.
• Data collection focused on practical implementation and encountered difficulties.

Main Results:

• While over 90% of patients were willing to participate, completion rates were impacted by patient characteristics.
• 10% of outpatients and 16% of inpatients could not provide usable questionnaires, even with assistance.
• A significant barrier was observed in hospitalized patients, with 42% deemed too ill or cognitively impaired to be approached.

Conclusions:

• Patient-satisfaction surveys are resource-intensive, requiring substantial time and personnel.
• The findings suggest that results from such surveys should be interpreted with caution due to potential biases and limitations.
• Practical challenges in patient participation can significantly affect the validity and reliability of survey outcomes.