Predictors of patient-perceived quality

Larrabee's model of quality proposes a relationship between quality and value. This study tested the relationship by identifying predictors of patient-perceived quality for nursing care. Data were obtained from interviews and records of 199 adult patients. Candidate predictors of patient-perceived quality included patient goal achievement, nurse-perceived quality, and nurse goal achievement. Candidate predictors also included seven demographic, seven financial, six illness, and six hospital variables. Predictors of both patient-perceived quality global and patient-perceived quality total were pain severity on exit interview, clinic referral, unit, and patient goal achievement. Medicare nonrecipient was a predictor of patient-perceived quality global. Worry score on admission was a predictor of patient-perceived quality total. The results support the relationship between quality and value and between quality and beneficence postulated by Larrabee's model of quality. Additional investigation of these relationships in other populations and using other operationalizations of the model concepts is needed to provide further support for the model. This model is potentially useful for investigating quality in diverse cultures because the operationalization of the model concepts can be designed to reflect local, regional, or national values.