Improving parent satisfaction: an intervention to increase neonatal parent-provider communication

The objective of the study was to assess whether a targeted intervention improved the satisfaction of neonatal parents with primary medical provider communication.

The study design was a survey assessment of parents in a neonatal intensive care unit regarding their satisfaction with physician and nurse practitioner communication. Serial cohorts were surveyed before and after an intervention, including educating providers about family communication, distributing contact cards to families and showing a poster of providers in the unit.

More subjects in the post-intervention cohort (n=33) were satisfied (95%) with provider communication than in the pre-intervention cohort (n=50, 74%; P<0.01). Parents who reported talking with a provider in the previous 7 days were more satisfied than parents who did not (P<0.001). After the intervention, fewer families (36 versus 65%) reported a desire for more frequent provider contact (P<0.01).

A targeted intervention improved parent satisfaction with provider communication. Improving the quality and quantity of parent-provider communication increased parent satisfaction with communication with their baby's medical providers.