Assessing the Impact of Urology Resident Involvement on Overall Patient Satisfaction

To assess the impact of resident participation on patient satisfaction by comparing post-discharge satisfaction scores between academic faculty, private urologists who work with residents, and private urologists with no involvement in resident education.

Post-discharge Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems surveys from academic and private urologists at a single institution with an accredited Urology residency program from January 1, 2014 to December 31, 2016 (n = 530) were reviewed. The surveys were de-identified and categorized based on 3 subgroups of providers: academic faculty, private with residents, and private without residents. Overall rating, physician (MD) communication, nursing (RN) communication, discharge information, and overall management during their hospitalization were assessed.

The faculty group received an overall patient satisfaction score of 88.3% (percentage of 9 or 10). The private with resident group had an overall satisfaction score of 92.0% and the private without resident group had an overall satisfaction score of 96.7%. There was no statistical difference in patient satisfaction scores between groups across all categories with the exception of MD and RN communication. Private urologists with residents had better MD and RN communication scores than the 2 other groups (p < 0.001, p = 0.013, respectively).

Resident involvement in patient care with faculty or private attendings did not have a negative effect on patient satisfaction scores of any factor measured. Patients were more satisfied with MD and RN communication when residents worked with private attendings.