Patient satisfaction with radiologist assistants.

Area of Science:

• Radiology
• Healthcare Provider Satisfaction
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Patient satisfaction with healthcare providers is crucial for quality assessment.
• While satisfaction with other midlevel providers is studied, patient satisfaction with Radiologist Assistants (RAs) remains unexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess patient satisfaction with the care provided by Radiologist Assistants (RAs) in the United States.
• To establish a baseline for evaluating the role of RAs in patient care.

Main Methods:

• A custom-designed satisfaction survey was used to collect patient feedback.
• Surveys were distributed by 20 RAs across various clinic and hospital radiology settings.
• Data from 359 completed surveys, including demographic and procedural information, were analyzed.

Main Results:

• Patients reported high satisfaction with care from RAs, with a mean overall satisfaction score of 4.89/5.
• High mean scores were observed for communication (4.83) and professionalism (4.91).
• Satisfaction levels were consistent across different patient demographics, procedure types, and RA experience levels.

Conclusions:

• This study demonstrates a high level of patient satisfaction with RAs performing diagnostic and interventional imaging procedures.
• RAs were rated highly for professionalism and thoroughness, consistent with other physician extenders.
• The findings provide initial data for ongoing evaluation of the RA's role in healthcare.