Evidence-Based Communication Strategies to Improve Patient Satisfaction: A Quality Improvement Project

Abstract

Patient satisfaction scores are among the most challenging measures to improve in the acute-care setting because of human factors' influence on behaviors. The aim was to implement an evidence-based communication framework to improve staff communication competence and increase patient satisfaction. All staff working on an in-patient unit at a hospital attended face-to-face educational sessions. HCAHPS measured patient satisfaction, and pre-education and posteducation surveys measured staff satisfaction. Postimplementation, statistically significant improvement in HCAHPS occurred in the communication with nurses' domain top box scores (<i>t</i> [1.89] = p = <i>.02</i>) and rate the hospital 0-10 (<i>t</i> [2.86] = p = <i>.002</i>). Postintervention patient satisfaction survey qualitative data reflected an increase in positive patient comments from 40.9% to 60.7%.