Evaluating hospital service quality from a physician viewpoint

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Medical Quality Improvement
• Physician Relations

Background:

• Referring physicians play a critical role in patient referral pathways and overall healthcare management.
• Evaluating the perception of hospital services by referring physicians is essential for identifying areas of improvement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess referring physicians' and hospital clinicians' perceptions of hospital service quality.
• To identify key factors influencing referral rates and areas for quality enhancement.

Main Methods:

• A comparative questionnaire survey was administered to referring physicians (n=53) and hospital clinicians (n=22) at a dermatology academic department.
• Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze survey data, focusing on perceptions of inpatient and outpatient services.

Main Results:

• Both groups identified timely information on hospital stays and staff accessibility as crucial areas for improvement.
• Clinicians rated their services higher than referring physicians (p=0.019).
• Referral frequency correlated with medical report value (p=0.042), and geographic range correlated with patient commendation (p=0.005) and perceived friendliness (p=0.039).

Conclusions:

• Physician perspectives are invaluable for understanding healthcare service perception and driving quality improvement.
• Hospitals should prioritize clear communication, especially through medical reports, and regularly report survey findings to executive boards.