Patient Satisfaction Surveys Can Lead to Better Care

When first looking for a new doctor, a patient might focus on medical outcomes. But staying with a doctor often comes down to more personalized aspects of care, such as office staff interactions, communication with the physician and waiting room experiences.

Patient satisfaction has grown to become an important part of health care from both a patient perspective and a care giver perspective, according to the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC).

One of the most important things about patient satisfaction surveys is that they can play a role in improving patient outcomes, according to the AAAHC.

Patient satisfaction information is usually gathered using a survey through which patients have the chance to give current feedback, according to the AAAHC. Patients typically are asked about their experiences with the office from the first time they made an appointment to any follow up care. 

Your Premier Physician Network physician uses a third-party to survey patients about their experience.  National Research Corporation may send you a paper survey or an e-mail survey to ask about your experience.  This guarantees that your responses remain completely anonymous if that is what you prefer.

Patients have the opportunity to rate every interaction they have had, including:

• Check out staff
• Front desk staff
• Nurses
• Physician or other help care provider
• Staff on the phone when making the appointment
• Waiting room

There is usually a ranking system and space to share details about any issues or compliments, if there were any.

By reviewing these survey responses, a physician’s office can look at care and office interactions from a patient perspective and can make adjustments to areas of the office that patients have concerns about, according to the AAAHC.

For example, if a group of patients have concerns about the amount of time it took them to get an appointment with the physician, the office will have an opportunity to fix those issues that making patient access to care less than excellent.  

Patient outcomes have been shown to improve as patient satisfaction improves, according to the AAAHC. If patients are satisfied with their health care experience, they are getting the things they need from the start to the finish of their visit with their physician.

If patients are satisfied, continuity of care also improves because the patients are less likely to look for a new physician, according to the AAAHC.

Patient satisfaction surveys have shown the needs patients value most, according to the AAAHC, include:

• Being treated as a partner in care
• Care is provided in a timely manner with only reasonable wait time, showing that the office values the patient’s time, too
• Following a care plan that is accessible to anyone in the office and that the patient feels informed about
• Health care provider and staff partner with each patient and show they are invested in the patient’s wellbeing
• Health care provider and team listen closely, are easy to talk to, and are not rushed
• Office treats each patient as an individual and is committed and confident in helping to carry out the patient’s personal care plan
• Patient taken seriously, treated with respect, and truly cared about

By having an opportunity to adjust care practices, providers and their teams can make patient experiences positive and provide the best possible health care.

Find more information about the National Research Corporation patient satisfaction surveys your office uses, talk with your doctor or find a physician.