Affect Patient Perception Research Articles

Outcomes of Upper Lip Mohs Surgery Repairs Using Standardized Scar Scales With Particular Emphasis on Vermillion Border Involvement.

The lips are a common location for skin cancer, and thus, a common site for Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS). As an important cosmetic and functional facial unit, MMS defects and reconstruction can affect patient perception on functional and aesthetic outcomes. The objective of this study was to compare aesthetic and functional outcomes after upper lip MMS between patients with vermillion sparing repairs (VSR) versus vermillion crossing repairs (VCR). Patients from a single institution from 2018 to 2022 undergoing MMS of the upper lip with linear or select flap repairs were included. Patients were assessed at a minimum of 6-week follow-up for self-assessment of functional and cosmetic outcomes, as well as physician assessment of scar cosmesis using validated Patient and Observed Scar Assessment Scale and Scar Cosmesis Assessment and Rating scale. The results were compared between VSR and VCR groups. Forty-five patients were included in this study. No significant difference between patient assessment of functional and cosmetic outcome was identified between VSR and VCR. Patient satisfaction with lip reconstruction can be high. Crossing the vermillion border does not affect patient assessment of aesthetic and functional results and should be considered if needed to optimize reconstructive outcomes.

Qualitative Evaluations of Patient–Provider Interactions and Experience in Obstetric Transport [ID: 1377912

INTRODUCTION: Rural patients who require complex obstetric care are dependent on transport services to higher-level facilities. The objective of this study is to describe the efficacy of provider–patient interactions in informed consent, transport processes, and overall quality of care during emergency transport to the University of New Mexico Hospital (UNMH), the only level 1 trauma center receiving complex patients from multiple states. METHODS: Participants transported for emergency obstetric indications were recruited at UNMH. Institutional review board approval was obtained for demographic questionnaires, interviews, and surveys graded on a 5-point Likert scale were delivered via in person, telephone, or Zoom software and securely recorded. English interviews were transcribed via Otter.ai. Spanish interviews were manually translated. RESULTS: Preliminary results consisted of 10 patients living on average 3 hours from UNMH. While 90% of respondents reported that they had a good overall transport experience, 40% had concerns about personal safety and 50% for their baby's safety during transport. Additionally, 20% felt that their provider did not explain why they required transport and 30% did not understand why they were transported. A strong majority of participants (80%) reported no alternatives to transport being provided. CONCLUSION: Overall, rural obstetric patients who required transport to UNMH report a positive experience. However, some patients felt uninformed, did not understand the reason for their transport, and/or had fears about their safety and their baby's safety. Future studies should aim to understand the complex patient and provider factors that contribute to a patient's understanding during the consent process and how this affects patient perceptions and outcomes.

Digital Disparities in Patient Adoption of Telemedicine

Telemedicine's growth during the COVID-19 pandemic exposed digital and health disparities in U.S. communities. Public health advocates suggest disparities in healthcare access may be mitigated through free or low-cost broadband. However, prior research shows that many factors influence patient adoption of information technologies; therefore, increasing access to broadband alone is insufficient. This paper advances a patient-centered model of telemedicine (TM) adoption supported by qualitative interview data. The model illustrates that patient adoption of TM is driven by a complex sociotechnical system comprised of technology factors, structural factors underlying the provider's provision of TM, and individual patient factors. Findings highlight the importance of the physical place of the TM visit, the need for experienced TM healthcare workers and technology support for patients, the impact of provider-mandated technology on task-technology fit (TTF), and the strength of the patient-provider relationship. These factors affect patient perceptions of TTF and ultimately TM adoption.

The Impact of Physician Race and Sex on Patient Ranking of Physician Competence and Perception of Leadership Ability.

Background Biases affect patient perceptions of their physician and influence the physician-patient relationship. While racial disparities in care and inequities in the healthcare workforce are well-documented, the impact of physician race on patient perceptions remains unclear. We aimed to investigate the association of physician race and sex on patient perceptions during simulated preoperative encounters. Methods Three hundred patients recruited consecutively in the Preanesthesia Evaluation and Testing Center viewed pictures of 4 anesthesiologists (black male, white male, black female, white female) in random order while listening to a set of paired audio recordings describing general anesthesia. Participants ranked each anesthesiologist on confidence, intelligence, and likelihood of choosing the anesthesiologist to care for their family member, and chose the one anesthesiologist most like a leader. Results Compared to white anesthesiologists, black anesthesiologists had greater odds of being ranked more confident (OR, 1.45; 95% CI, 1.10 to 1.89; P=0.008) and being considered a leader (OR, 2.06; 95% CI, 1.50 to 2.84; P<0.0001). Among white participants, black anesthesiologists had greater odds of being ranked more intelligent (OR, 2.08; 95% CI, 1.54 to 2.81; P<0.0001) and were more likely to be chosen to care for a family member (OR, 2.26; 95% CI, 1.66 to 3.08; P<0.0001). Female anesthesiologists had greater odds of being ranked more intelligent (OR, 1.36; 95% CI, 1.08 to 1.71; P=0.009) and were more likely to be chosen to care for a family member (OR, 1.58; 95% CI, 1.27 to 1.97; P<0.001) compared with male anesthesiologists. Conclusions Contrary to our hypothesis,patients ranked black physicians more highly on multiple competence andleadership qualitymetrics. Our data likelyhighlightthe role social desirability bias may play in studies of racial disparities within medicine.

Self-presentation in medicine: How language patterns reflect physician impression management goals and affect perceptions

This paper evaluated how physicians' communication patterns reflect their self-presentation goals and link to patient perceptions. Specifically, in a large field study (N = 54,420 profiles from HealthGrades.com), physician self-descriptions were analyzed linguistically through automated means, with evidence suggesting those who were more self-focused and confident tended to have higher patient ratings online than those who were less self-focused and confident. Physicians who discussed their expertise and compassion for patients were also rated more favorably. A within-subjects experiment in Study 2 (N = 500) also demonstrated that linguistic self-presentation patterns can affect patient perceptions. Participants who read physician profiles with high rates of self-references and verbal confidence rated doctors as warmer and more competent than those who read physician profiles with low rates of self-references and certainty. Together, words are indicators of physicians’ self-presentation strategies and can change patient evaluations. Theoretical contributions for self-presentation and psychology of language research are discussed.

Quality of Clinical Counseling About Lifestyle-Related Diseases: An Analysis of Daily Practice From the National Guard Primary Health Care Center at Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Unhealthy lifestyle behaviors are the main reason for the worldwide epidemic of chronic diseases. Changes in lifestyle, such as physical activity, healthy diet, and non-smoking, require preventive strategies at the national and individual levels. Clinical counseling is one of these strategies which helps patients to be motivated and enhance their self-management. The present study aimed to improve clinical counseling practice at the National Guard Primary Health Care Center, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Objective:To assess the quality of counseling from the patient's perspective in the primary care center of the National Guard (specialized polyclinic center) using a modified counseling quality instrument (CQI). Subjects and methods: In a cross-sectional study and through a convenient sampling technique from the patients visiting the National Guard Primary Health Care Center (specialized polyclinic center),358 patients completed a self-administered questionnaire regarding their experiences of clinical counseling. The Kruskal-Wallis test was used to record the statistically significant differences between the ordinal variable of participants' quality scores and their demographic characteristics. The mean age of participants was 35± 8 years, ranging between 22 to 69 years. Most of the participating patients were women (63%). Slightly more than half the patients obtained clinical counseling during their appointments, and physicians at the clinic gave 57% of these clinical counseling sessions. The patients were generally satisfied with the counseling. They rated the counseling sessions as good in terms of content, the process of counseling, the way of interaction, and the degree of goal-oriented discussion. In addition to receiving counseling from physicians, older participants and those with postgraduate education were found to significantly positively affect patient perceptions of counseling quality. This study found that half of the participants did not get clinical counseling during their visits, indicating no standardization in clinical counseling services for all patients. Although patients were generally satisfied with the counseling session provided to them, time constraint was the highest dissatisfaction item among two-thirds of the patients in the present study.

Do they speak like me? Exploring how perceptions of linguistic difference may influence patient perceptions of healthcare providers

ABSTRACT The increased utilization of telehealth has provided patients with the opportunity to interact with racially diverse healthcare providers (HCPs). While evidence of racial stereotypes in healthcare is well documented, less is known about whether linguistic cues increase or decrease racial bias in healthcare interactions. The purpose of this pilot study was to use virtual clinicians (VCs) to examine how varying linguistic features affect patient perceptions of Black-identifying HCPs. Participants (N = 282) were recruited to participate in an online pilot study using a two-arm posttest-only experimental design. Participants were randomly assigned to interact with a Black VC that used vocal cues associated with either Standard American English (SAE) or African American English (AAE) on the topic of colorectal cancer. After the interaction, participants completed a posttest questionnaire. Resulting data were analyzed using mediation.

Impact of patient counselling on perception and medication adherence of hypertensive patients with chronic kidney disease

Chronic Kidney Disease is a progressive and irreversible loss of renal function. The purpose of the study was to understand how patient counselling affects patient perception, and medication adherence and to identify the risk factors of medication non-adherence. A Cross-sectional prospective study was done among 109 hypertensive patients with Chronic Kidney Disease for 6 months. All study participants were interviewed to obtain detailed socio-demographic and medical data. Patient counselling was provided in two sessions. Patients were asked to fill out the Knowledge, Attitude, Practice questionnaire, and the Morisky Medication Adherence Scale -8 pre and post counselling. Patient information leaflets were provided at the end of the eighth week. The study results show that in the mean Knowledge, Attitude, Practice score, there was a significant increase in total knowledge from a baseline of 0.79±0.77 to 1.22±0.69 at the end of the fourth week and 1.57±0.54 at the end of the eighth week. The mean adherence was improved from 0.38±0.55 to 0.67±0.67 to 1.10±0.57, indicating a significant improvement in medication adherence with continuous patient counselling. The most common reason for non-adherence was forgetfulness. Poor adherence to treatment and lack of knowledge remains a major obstacle in the management of Chronic Kidney Disease patients. Hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular disorders remain the leading causes of Chronic Kidney Disease.

Positioning the Patient into the Home Exercise Program: A Scoping Review of Home Exercise Program Delivery Based on Patient Demographics

Objective(s) investigate the evidence-based literature regarding the mode of delivery of HEPs and emphasize how differing modes of delivery of a HEP will affect patient perception and adherence. Data Sources PubMed and EBSCOhost/CINAHL starting on January 21st, 2021. Study Selection Studies were included if written in or translated to the English language, had subjects 18 years of age or older, published in a peer-reviewed journal within the last 10 years, and had a main focus on differences in home exercise program preference. Data Extraction Studies were included if written in or translated to the English language, had subjects 18 years of age or older, published in a peer-reviewed journal within the last 10 years, and had a main focus on differences in home exercise program preference. Data Synthesis There was a total of 501 studies found, 36 studies were fully assessed, and 5 studies were finally included. Following inclusion of the 5 studies, their reference lists were screened and assessed, and 1 additional study was included based on this method. The combined subject total in this scoping review amounted to 320 participants. The three qualitative studies highlighted the need for more personalization, physical therapist feedback, reminders to maintain motivation, and reassurance of correct performance to preserve confidence. The three quantitative studies noted the benefits of expanding the mode of HEP delivery from a standard paper handout, to a high-tech, interconnected version. Conclusions Reminders to exercise, variations to one's at-home regimen, and constructive feedback from a subject's physical therapist generated enthusiasm and a deeper level of adherence to home exercise programs. Incorporating ease of access, image personalization and therapist support yields favorable results for adherence and improved patient function. Author(s) Disclosures No disclosure investigate the evidence-based literature regarding the mode of delivery of HEPs and emphasize how differing modes of delivery of a HEP will affect patient perception and adherence. PubMed and EBSCOhost/CINAHL starting on January 21st, 2021. Studies were included if written in or translated to the English language, had subjects 18 years of age or older, published in a peer-reviewed journal within the last 10 years, and had a main focus on differences in home exercise program preference. Studies were included if written in or translated to the English language, had subjects 18 years of age or older, published in a peer-reviewed journal within the last 10 years, and had a main focus on differences in home exercise program preference. There was a total of 501 studies found, 36 studies were fully assessed, and 5 studies were finally included. Following inclusion of the 5 studies, their reference lists were screened and assessed, and 1 additional study was included based on this method. The combined subject total in this scoping review amounted to 320 participants. The three qualitative studies highlighted the need for more personalization, physical therapist feedback, reminders to maintain motivation, and reassurance of correct performance to preserve confidence. The three quantitative studies noted the benefits of expanding the mode of HEP delivery from a standard paper handout, to a high-tech, interconnected version. Reminders to exercise, variations to one's at-home regimen, and constructive feedback from a subject's physical therapist generated enthusiasm and a deeper level of adherence to home exercise programs. Incorporating ease of access, image personalization and therapist support yields favorable results for adherence and improved patient function.

Does Surgeon Training Affect Patient Perception of Surgeon Skill in DIEP Flap Breast Reconstruction?

The aim of this study is to investigate whether a surgeon's training background and years of experience advertised on a social media platform influences perception of surgeon competence, patient recruitment likelihood, and referral likelihood. A mockup of an Instagram post was created using a before and after picture of a deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) flap patient. The caption under each post was changed to reflect one of six possible training categories: 1 year of experience, 10 years of experience, 20 years of experience, fellowship, Ivy League training, and a null case (with no training information against which all other cases were compared). Surveys asked female responders to evaluate surgeon competence, likelihood of becoming a patient, and likelihood of making a referral to their friends or family. Amazon MTurk crowdsourcing platform was used to distribute the survey. A total of 1,878 responses were recorded, with the majority identifying as Caucasian (59%). The surgeon with 20 years of experience had the highest patient recruitment scores when compared with the null, 1 year, 10 year, and Ivy League training backgrounds (p = 0.0314, p = 0.0065, p = 0.0207, and p = 0.0244, respectively). The majority of responders (67%) preferred a female surgeon. Responders with a history of breast reconstruction assigned lower surgeon competence scores compared with women without a history of breast cancer (p <0.0001). Women who underwent breast reconstruction were also less likely to make referrals to their family and friends (p <0.0001). Surgeon's experience influences whether a patient is likely to seek care from a plastic surgeon. Personal history of breast cancer has a negative impact on perceived surgeon competence as well as patient recruitment likelihood and referral likelihood. Emphasizing fewer years of training or Ivy League training did not make an appreciable difference in patient perception of competence or likelihood of recruiting a new patient.

What's in a Name? Implicit Bias Affects Patient Perception of Surgeon Skill.

Implicit bias is the unconscious associations and beliefs held toward specific demographic groups. Instagram is commonly used by plastic surgeons to market their practice. This study investigates whether a surgeon's name on a social media platform influences perception of their competence and their likelihood of gaining a new patient. A mock Instagram post was created using before-and-after photographs of a breast augmentation patient. Eight different ethnicities were selected, and common female and male names were selected based on U.S. Census data for each ethnicity. Surveys using the Instagram post were distributed asking responders to evaluate the competency of the surgeon and how likely they are to become a patient of that plastic surgeon. The surgeon's name was the only variable in the survey. A total of 2965 survey responses were analyzed. The majority of responders were Caucasian (57 percent); 55 percent were men and 45 percent were women. Overall, competence and recruitment likelihood scores between surgeons of different ethnicities were not significantly different. Caucasian and Latinx responders both assigned higher competence and recruitment likelihood scores to their own respective ethnicities. Implicit bias plays a role in whether or not a patient is likely to seek care from a surgeon with an ethnically identifiable name. The two most common cosmetic surgery demographic groups, Caucasians and Latinxs, were also the only two ethnic groups to display in-group favoritism. Public education should be directed toward surgeon qualifications and experience in an effort to reduce implicit bias on patient decision-making.

The Effect of an Orthopaedic Surgeon's Attire on Patient Perceptions of Surgeon Traits and Identity: A Cross-Sectional Survey.

Introduction:In orthopaedic surgery, limited research is available addressing how attire, including white coats (WC) and feminine attire such as skirts, affects patient perceptions. It is unknown how surgeon appearance is associated with identification as a surgeon and perception of clinical skills, nor whether this differs between male and female surgeons.Methods:An image-based survey was offered to all adult patients in four orthopaedic surgeons' sport medicine or foot and ankle clinics. Respondents viewed 10 photos of male and female models in varying attire and identified that individual's most likely role on the healthcare team. Then, in 10 photos pairs, respondents selected which surgeon showed more competence, ability to excel in performing the physical components of surgery, likelihood to provide a good surgical outcome, and trustworthiness.Results:Two hundred thirty-eight patients participated in the survey. Men were identified as surgeons significantly more frequently than women in similar clothing (P < 0.05) for all attire except a business attire without a WC (men: 18.2% vs women: 11.2%; P = 0.252). Patients ranked physicians wearing a WC with any attire as more competent and more likely to give a good surgical outcome than those without (all P < 0.005). Patients found women in feminine attire significantly less likely to excel in performing the physical parts of surgery than women in scrubs (P = 0.001).Discussion:Women surgeons who wear feminine business attire instead of scrubs may be perceived less able to perform the physical work of operating, but are otherwise rated comparably with their peers, both male and female. Surgeons wearing WC are generally perceived more favorably than those without WC, an effect that is magnified for perceptions of competence for female surgeons. Men are more readily identified as surgeons than women when wearing a similar attire, except for a business attire without WC. There are continuing differences in how patients perceive male and female orthopaedic surgeons based on their attire.

What Factors Affect Patient Perceptions on Their Hospital Experience?

Patient experience has been one of many significant drivers in determining hospitals’ performance. Multivariate logistic regression was used to investigate the factors that impacted patients’ likelihood to give top ratings for the overall hospital experience. Large hospitals with a lower percentage of Medicare/Medicaid patients and existing electronic health record system were more likely to receive top ratings. White, female patients with lower education levels were more likely to give top ratings for all quality domains (nurse, doctor, staff, and environment). All quality domains had positive impacts on patient experience, with the nursing domain being the most influential factor.

Patient evaluations of asthma counselling quality in primary health care \u2014 a cross-sectional survey

BackgroundHealthcare staff have a key role in counselling patients. This study describes asthma patients’ evaluations of primary care counselling quality.MethodsThe research applied a cross-sectional study design, with data collected from adult asthma patients (n = 73). Data were analysed by descriptive statistics.ResultsMost of participating patients were women (73%) and over 60 years old (67%). The patients were generally satisfied with the counselling. Subjection to an asthma test (p = 0.009) and smoking (p = 0.019) were found to significantly positively affect patient perceptions of counselling quality. The patients also felt that support services should be covered more (74%). Patients with comprehensive education (p = 0.039) and smokers (p = 0.015) were more likely to be satisfied with the counselling than other patients. Counselling was client-oriented (53%) and most patients reported experiencing positive interactions (92%). Most patients agreed that counselling benefitted adherence to self-care (75%) and health promotion (67%). Moreover, almost all of the patients were satisfied with the staff members’ knowledge and skills (97%). Subjection to an asthma test (p = 0.043), age (p = 0.030), smoking (p = 0.014), and duration of illness (p = 0.002) influenced satisfaction with counselling resources.ConclusionThe results indicate that counselling benefits asthma patients. Performing an asthma test, as well as considering smoking habits and educational level, can improve patient perceptions of counselling.

General anesthesia technique and perception of quality of postoperative recovery in women undergoing cholecystectomy: A randomized, double-blinded clinical trial.

BackgroundThe two most common general anesthesia techniques are total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) and venous/inhalation balanced general anesthesia (BGA). It is unclear whether any of these two techniques affect patient perception of the quality of recovery. The aim of this randomized, double-blinded clinical trial was to assess the quality of postoperative recovery of women undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy under general anesthesia. We compared patients who received TIVA with those who received BGA. We also evaluated the factors that may decrease patient-perceived quality of postoperative recovery.MethodsWe prospectively recruited 121 women aged 18–65 years who were scheduled for elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy due to cholelithiasis. These patients were randomized to receive TIVA (target-controlled infusion of propofol and remifentanil) or BGA (continuous remifentanil infusion and sevoflurane inhalation). To measure the quality of postanesthetic and postoperative recovery, we administered the Quality of Recovery-40 (QoR-40) questionnaire 24 hours after the patient awoke from anesthesia.ResultsAll 60 patients in the TIVA group responded to QoR-40 (median, 188 points; minimum 128; maximum 200). Sixty-one patients in the BGA group had a mean QoR-40 score of 186 points (median, 188 points; minimum 146; maximum 200). There was no significant difference in the QoR-40 score between the two groups (p = 0.577). The patients who presented postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) and pain had worse perception of the quality of postoperative recovery.ConclusionsBoth TIVA and BGA had a similar effect on the perception of the quality of postoperative recovery in women undergoing elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy. PONV and pain may negatively affect patient perception of the quality of postoperative recovery.

All Disclosure is Good Disclosure: Patient Awareness of the Sunshine Act and Perceptions of Surgeon-Industry Relationships.

This was a prospective study. To determine patient awareness of surgeon-industry relationships, how these relationships affect patient perceptions of surgeons, and which relationships cause the greatest concern to patients. The prevalence of orthopedic surgeon-industry relationships led to the establishment of a national database of physician-industry interaction [Open Payments Database (OPD)] as part of the Physician Payments Sunshine Act (PPSA). A 10-item questionnaire was administered to patients before their first evaluation. Two questions asked about awareness of the surgeon's industry relationships and of the OPD. One question evaluated the importance of surgeon-industry relationships of patients when choosing a provider. Six questions assessed patient perception of specific types of surgeon-industry relationships. Lastly, each patient ranked specific types of surgeon-industry relationships (1-most concerning to 6-least/not concerning). The distribution of patient-perceptions was compared using a Friedman 2-way analysis of variance by Ranks test. Distributions across awareness were compared using a Kruskal-Wallis test. A total of 205 patients completed the survey. A majority of patients were unaware of their surgeons' relationships with industry and the existence of the OPD. However, most patients considered surgeon-industry relationships an important, very important or most important part of choosing their physician. There were significant differences in how industry relationships affected patient perceptions. Research funding had the most positive impact on perception. Financial ownership was reported to be the most concerning relationship followed by royalty payments and consulting. Our results suggest that despite a lack of awareness, most patients consider surgeon-industry relationships an important factor in choosing their doctor. Patients generally report a more positive view of surgeons that have active relationships with industry. These results emphasize the value of disclosure for surgeons; it provides transparency and improves their standing amongst a majority of their patients.

Experience of operating an anesthesia preoperative evaluation clinic in South Korea: An observational study of surgeons' satisfaction.

The benefits of an anesthesia pre-operative evaluation clinic (APEC) based on outpatients are well described in previous literatures. In the majority of hospitals in South Korea, preoperative anesthetic evaluation for surgical patients is limited to hospitalized patients on the day before surgery. Thus, we would like to share our institutional experience of implementing an APEC based on outpatients and report on the attitudes and satisfaction of the medical staff (surgeons).A 2-page survey was distributed to all specialists and resident physicians involved in surgery at a single university hospital during a 3-month period. A 5-point Likert scale of agreement and an open-ended question examined perceptions of APEC. A total of 123 questionnaires were distributed and 67 surveys were collected over a 3-month period with a 54.5% collection rate. The surgeons’ perceptions of APEC are summarized in Figure 1. It is difficult to state the tendency of surgeons’ perception of the clinic, including workload, patient satisfaction, patient safety, necessity, cost-effectiveness, and efficiency through this survey. However, many surgeons chose to comment on suggestions to improve the quality of the APEC through the open-ended question.The surgeons’ attitude and satisfaction to anesthetic services including APEC are an important component of achieving quality improvement. Although it is difficult to state the tendency of surgeons’ perception of the clinic, including workload, patient satisfaction, patient safety, necessity, cost-effectiveness, and efficiency through this survey, continuous assessment and feedback may improve efficiency of the APEC and affect patient perception as well.

Health care insecurity in the underserved: Effect of a charitable pharmacy model

ObjectivesThe objectives of this study were to assess how a charitable pharmacy model affects patient perception of health care insecurity, physical and emotional functioning, and medication access in an underserved population. MethodsNew patients presenting for medication at their initial pharmacy visit at Charitable Pharmacy of Central Ohio were screened for eligibility during a 12-week enrollment period. Participants completed a baseline survey containing the Health Care Insecurity Measure (HCIM), Veterans RAND 12-Item Health Survey (VR-12), and medication access questions. The follow-up survey, which contained the HCIM and VR-12 only, was administered during a pharmacy visit at least 14 days after the patient’s initial visit. Survey data were analyzed with the use of descriptive statistics. ResultsA total of 105 patients met eligibility criteria, and 17 patients declined to participate. Of the 88 remaining participants, 33 (38%) completed the study (both baseline and follow-up survey). Of the 33 participants who completed the study, there was a statistically significant decrease from the baseline health care insecurity score (23.2 ± 11.1) to the follow-up score (17.9 ± 8.5; P = 0.0031). ConclusionThis study demonstrated that pharmacists working in a charitable pharmacy can have a positive impact on the sense of security patients feel about their health care and can better understand their medication-related needs.

Patient Perceptions of Caring in a Midwestern Hospital

In this prospective, descriptive study, our organization applied the Watson Caritas Patient Score (WCPS) to a random sample of medical–surgical and rehabilitation patients. Over 2 years, mean WCPS ranged from 6.43 to 6.72 on a 7-point scale. A statistically significant improvement (p = .005) in mean caring scores occurred over the first year. In the second year, there was a statistically significant increase (p≤ .05) in the percentage of patients who gave the maximum score of 7. These results suggest that health care organizations that embed human caring philosophy into their culture can affect patient perceptions of caring.

Perception of Caring Among Patients and Nurses.

Background:Empirical evidence supports the contention that implementing caring nurse behaviors results in improved patient experience; however, previous studies find differences between patient and nurse perceptions of caring.Significance:Good patient experience is positively related to desired clinical and financial outcomes. Nurse caring is a critical component in the patient experience.Objective:The purposes of this project were to evaluate the congruency between nurse and patient perceptions of nurse caring in a long-term acute care hospital and to determine how much patient perception of nurse caring changes over time.Method:The study employed mixed methods using a triangulation strategy in which quantitative data from patients and qualitative data from nurses were collected simultaneously and compared for interpretation.Results:Time affected patient perception of caring significantly. Patients and nurses disagreed about the extent to which nurses ask patients what they know about their illnesses, help them deal with bad feelings, and make them feel comfortable.Conclusion:Patients and nurses do not always agree about the quality of caring behaviors, but exposure to nurses over time positively affects patient perception of nurse caring.