Independent Risk Factors for Less Than "Top Box" Doctor Communication Patient Experience Survey Scores in an Urban...

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Quality
• Patient Experience Research
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Patient satisfaction surveys, such as the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS), are crucial for evaluating healthcare quality.
• The
• Doctor Communication Domain
• (DCD) is a key area influencing overall patient perception of care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify independent risk factors associated with patients providing a less than "top box" score in the HCAHPS DCD.
• To determine the impact of post-discharge phone calls (PC) on patient communication ratings.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of 803 HCAHPS surveys conducted between January 1 and December 31, 2023.
• Multivariable logistic regression adjusting for demographic and clinical factors including age, gender, length of stay, education, and language.
• Statistical analysis focused on the association between receiving a PC and DCD scores.

Main Results:

• Not receiving a post-discharge phone call (PC) was significantly associated with a more than doubling of the odds of a patient giving a less than "top box" score for doctor communication (adjusted odds ratio = 2.22).
• The probability of a patient giving a less than "top box" score was substantially higher without a PC (34.3%) compared to those who received one (17.9%).

Conclusions:

• Post-discharge phone calls (PC) appear to be a valuable intervention for improving patient-reported doctor communication.
• Healthcare systems should consider implementing or optimizing post-discharge patient call protocols to enhance patient experience and communication ratings.