What parents say about their child's surgeon: parent-reported experiences with pediatric surgical physicians

Reviews of patient and caregiver experience with health practitioners are increasingly important to consumers. Understanding physician qualities valued by patients and their families may facilitate more effective care and communication.

To identify physician qualities and care dimensions valued by parents during their child's outpatient surgical care encounter.

Mixed-methods analysis of comments from patient-satisfaction surveys.

Outpatient pediatric otolaryngology and surgical specialty clinics in an urban tertiary care center.

Parents of children seen in pediatric otolaryngology and surgical specialty clinics who completed the physician section of the patient satisfaction survey.

Free-text comments written in the physician section of the survey.

A total of 195 survey comments from visits to 18 surgical specialty clinics were analyzed; 64 comments (33%) were global in nature, of which 58 (90%) were positive; 25 of 195 comments (13%) discussed recommendation of care. Of the 131 comments (67%) with specific content, 79 (60%) were positive. Major themes were physician interpersonal style (n = 78, 45%), physician technical skills/knowledge/preparation (n = 82, 47%), and systems issues (n = 14, 8%). The most commonly noted interpersonal subthemes were inclusion/interaction with the child (20%) and empathy/concern for the patient's needs (29%). The most common skills themes related to whether the physician answered questions (16%) or explained treatment (23%). The most common negative subgroup was inadequate explanation of treatment (18%). The majority of comments related to systems were negative (13 of 14, 93%).

Parents highly value physician interpersonal style and visit-specific skills (involving the child in discussion; showing empathy/concern for the patient/family; answering questions; explaining treatment). While most comments about surgeons were affirmative, clinical systems were more often negatively perceived. Attention to parent-reported experiences may help physicians improve communication and overall effectiveness of care provided.