The relationship between patient satisfaction and inpatient admissions across teaching and nonteaching hospitals

The need for healthcare executives to better understand the relationship between patient satisfaction and admission volume takes on greater importance in this age of rising patient expectations and declining reimbursement. Management of patient satisfaction has become a critical element in the day-to-day operations of healthcare organizations pursuing high performance. This study is guided by two principal research questions. First, what is the nature of the relationship between patient satisfaction (as measured by scored instruments) and inpatient admissions in acute care hospitals? Second, does the relationship between patient satisfaction (as measured by scored instruments) and inpatient admissions differ between teaching hospitals and nonteaching hospitals? Although not suggestive of direct causation, the study findings revealed a statistically significant and positive correlation between patient satisfaction and admission volume in teaching hospitals only. In contrast, a nonsignificant, negative correlation was seen between patient satisfaction and admission in nonteaching hospitals. In the combined teaching and nonteaching sample, a statistically significant, negative correlation was found between patient satisfaction scores and admission volume. With financial performance being driven in part by admission volume and with patient satisfaction affecting hospital patronage, the business case for a strategic focus on patient satisfaction in teaching hospitals is clearly evident. The article concludes with a set of recommendations for strengthening patient satisfaction and organizational performance.