Developing a Japanese hospital physician satisfaction scale

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Occupational Health
• Psychometrics

Background:

• Hospital physician shortages are a significant national concern in Japan.
• Physician job satisfaction impacts service quality and turnover, yet no specific measure existed for Japanese hospital physicians.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and psychometrically evaluate a job satisfaction measure for Japanese hospital physicians.
• To create the Japan hospital physicians satisfaction scale (HPSS).

Main Methods:

• Two cross-sectional surveys were conducted: a pilot study with a self-administered questionnaire and a validation study using an online questionnaire.
• Factor and reliability analyses were employed to assess the scale's psychometric properties.

Main Results:

• The pilot study yielded a 28-item, 6-subscale HPSS, demonstrating good reliability and validity.
• The validation survey confirmed the scale's adequate psychometric performance after minor item adjustment.

Conclusions:

• The Japan hospital physicians satisfaction scale (HPSS) is a reliable and valid brief questionnaire.
• HPSS can inform strategies to improve Japanese hospital physician job satisfaction, enhance care quality, and address workforce challenges.