Measuring Patient Satisfaction In Healthcare

While some researchers focus on patient satisfaction with the quality and type of health care services received 7 10 others focus on people s satisfaction with the health system more generally.

Measuring patient satisfaction in healthcare. After all patient experience of care is a critical quality domain used to evaluate hospital performance under the 2016 cms hospital value based purchasing vbp program accounts for 25 percent of a hospital s vbp score and comes with the potential for a penalty or bonus. Patient experience differs from patient satisfaction. Healthcare organizations are working diligently to improve patient satisfaction and the patient experience of care. Patient perceptions of the quality of services provided is a key factor along with cost effectiveness in determining a health care organization s competitive advantage and survival.

Evaluating patient experience along with other components such as effectiveness and safety of care is essential to providing a complete picture of health care quality. Hcahps measure patient satisfaction. The consumer assessment of healthcare providers and systems cahps surveys are standardized industry questionnaires used to assess patient satisfaction and experience at various points of care. It affects the timely efficient and patient centered delivery of quality health care.

However consumer satisfaction studies are challenged by the lack of a universally accepted definition or measure 1 6 and by a dual focus. Patient satisfaction affects clinical outcomes patient retention and medical malpractice claims. The terms patient satisfaction and patient experience are often used interchangeably but they are not the same thing.