Consultation Satisfaction Questionnaire Research Articles

Enhancing hypertension detection and control through a hypertension certification program for pharmacists: A cluster randomized trial (The RxPATH Study).

We designed an online educational program for primary care health care providers, the Hypertension Canada Professional Certification Program (HC-PCP), based upon its 2020 guidelines. The objective was to determine the effect of the HC-PCP, taken by pharmacists, on systolic blood pressure (BP) in patients with poorly controlled hypertension. Stepped wedge cluster randomized trial (unit of randomization was the pharmacy). Patients with poorly controlled hypertension (BP >140/90 mmHg or >130/80 mmHg [diabetes]) in community pharmacies in Alberta, Canada, were recruited by their pharmacist. Pharmacists completed the HC-PCP program, then provided care to their patients with poorly controlled hypertension according to what they learned in the course. Pharmacists were given a copy of the Hypertension Canada guidelines and provided their usual care to their patients prior to undertaking the HC-PCP later. The primary outcome was a difference in change in systolic BP at 3 months between groups, while the secondary outcome was patient satisfaction with using the Consultation Satisfaction Questionnaire. We enrolled 890 patients from 59 pharmacies (including 104 pharmacists). Using a linear mixed-effect model with BP reduction as the dependent variable and independent variables of treatment allocation, baseline BP, site effect and patient effect, the intervention was associated with a 4.76 mmHg (95% confidence interval, 2.02-7.50, p < 0.0001) systolic BP reduction at 3 months. Patient satisfaction with using the Consultation Satisfaction Questionnaire was high at 75.9 (/90). Most educational programs are not evaluated at the patient care level. The HC-PCP taken by pharmacists resulted in a 4.76 mmHg systolic BP reduction in their patients over 3 months. This would have major implications for public health, reducing heart disease, stroke and kidney failure.

The effect of patients' empowerment on satisfaction of diabetic patients attending primary care clinics.

Different approaches, especially the patient-centered approach with emphasis on the patient's empowerment, were used with diabetic patients to ensure a better quality of life. The study aimed to evaluate the effects of patient empowerment versus traditional health education models on the satisfaction of diabetic patients. A randomized clinical trial was conducted on 130 patients, aged 40-65 years, diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus, and attending a family medicine outpatient clinic. Patients were blinded and randomly allocated into one of the two Groups (A and B) for a health education session with trained family physicians using the empowerment model and the traditional model, respectively. Patient satisfaction was assessed using the consultation satisfaction questionnaire (CSQ). The relations between different qualitative variables were assessed by Chi-square test; differences in various quantitative variables were determined by t-test and ANOVA. Pearson correlation assessed the correlation between age and different domains as well as the total questionnaire scores of both groups. A highly statistically significant difference was found between Group A (n = 65) and Group B (n = 65) for the general satisfaction scale, professional care analysis, depth, and length of consultation (P < 0.001). In Group A, 61.5% were highly satisfied and 35.4% were moderately satisfied, while in Group B, 41.5% were moderately satisfied and 43.1% were neutral. Regarding physicians' perceptions of the communication process with patients during the health education sessions, 83% in Group A perceived it as good, while 69.2% in Group B perceived it as average. The patient empowerment model of health education was linked to higher rates of patient satisfaction and a better physician perception of the communication process during the consultation. The study was self-funded, and no harm was done to the patients.

Evaluating the impact of patient-reported outcome measures on depression and anxiety levels in people with multiple sclerosis: a study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

BackgroundMultiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic disease affecting multiple functional aspects of patients’ lives. Depression and anxiety are common amongst persons with MS (PwMS). There has been an interest in utilizing patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) to capture and systematically assess patient’s perceptions of their MS experience in addition to other clinical measures, but PROMs are not usually collected in routine clinical practice. Therefore, this study aims to systematically incorporate periodic electronically administered PROMs into the care of PwMS to evaluate its effects on depression and anxiety.MethodsA randomized controlled trial will be conducted with patients allocated 1:1 to either intervention or conservative treatment groups. Patients in the intervention group will complete PROMs at the start of the study and then every 6 months for 1 year, in addition to having their MS healthcare provider prompted to view their scores. The conservative treatment group will complete PROMs at the start of the study and again after 12 months, and their neurologist will not be able to view their scores. For both groups, pre-determined critical PROM scores will trigger an alert to the patient’s MS provider. The difference in change in Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale score between the intervention and conservative treatment groups at 12 months will be the primary outcome, along with difference in Consultation Satisfaction Questionnaire and CollaboRATE scores at 12 months, and proportion and type of healthcare provider intervention/alerts initiated by different PROMs as secondary outcomes.DiscussionThis study will determine the feasibility of utilizing PROMs on an interval basis and its effects on the psychological well-being of PwMS. Findings of this study will provide evidence on use of PROMs in future MS clinical practice.Trial registrationThis trial is registered at the National Institutes of Health United States National Library of Medicine, ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04979546. Registered on July 28, 2021.

Evaluation of patient satisfaction in a Government Homeopathic Hospital in West Bengal, India

Background and aims – Discovering the degree of patient satisfaction in a medical practice setting may put substantial impact in improving health status and quality of care provided. In this study, the researchers evaluated the degree of patient satisfaction following medical encounters and re-examined the validity and reliability of the used questionnaires.&#x0D; Methodology – An institutional, cross-sectional, observational study was carried out involving 390 participants in February, 2013 in five out-patient clinics of Mahesh Bhattacharyya Homeopathic Medical College and Hospital, Govt. of West Bengal, Howrah, India. A 12-item Japanese short-form self-administered consultation satisfaction questionnaire translated into Bengali with a 5-point Likert scale was used. The questionnaire generated 5 subscales – overall satisfaction, complete examination, whole person care, examination time, and patient centeredness. Visual analogue scales (VASs) of 100mm were provided with each single question item and each subscale.&#x0D; Results – The questionnaire appeared reliable and valid. Internal consistency scores Cronbach’s α were between 0.7-0.9 and test-retest reliability Cohen’s κ was greater than 0.7 for each item. Concurrent validity Pearson’s r between total questionnaire and VASs was 0.60, P &lt; 0.001; each subscale scores 0.8 &lt; r &lt; 0.9, P &lt; 0.0001, and each question score 0.8 &lt; r &lt; 0.9, P &lt; 0.0001. Comparison of mean scores of five different subscales for five different outpatient clinics yielded F ratios between 4.3-9.8 (P &lt; 0.05, df = 4, 95% CI) establishing discriminant validity.&#x0D; Conclusions – Overall, the patients’ satisfaction appeared to be high. Further works should be undertaken adapting the questionnaire globally in different languages.

Patients satisfaction with consultation at primary health care centers in Abha City, Saudi Arabia.

Aim of Study:This study aims to assess patients satisfaction regarding consultations at the General Clinics of primary health-care (PHC) centers, in Abha City.Patients and Methods:This cross-sectional study design was conduct among adult patients attending training PHC centers in Abha City, Saudi Arabia during September 2016. The researcher designed a data collection sheet that comprised patients’ personal characteristics and the consultation satisfaction questionnaire, which contained 18 questions within four dimensions, i.e., general satisfaction; professional care; depth of relationship; and length of consultation.Results:The total number of the patient included in this study was 400, more than half of them were male (54%). Most of them were Saudi (90%), married (79%), and educated (93%). More than half 53% were dissatisfied, 20% were satisfied with consultation while 27% were natural. The most important factor affecting satisfaction with consultation was age, education level and income.Conclusions:Patients satisfaction toward their consultation experience at general clinics of training PHC centers in Abha City was suboptimal. Total consultation scores differ significantly according to their age groups, education level, and monthly income.Recommendations:PHC physicians should be more concerned with improving medical consultations provided to their patients. Continuing medical education and training of PHC physicians about provision of medical consultation.

The impact of a diagnostic decision support system on the consultation: perceptions of GPs and patients

BackgroundClinical decision support systems (DSS) aimed at supporting diagnosis are not widely used. This is mainly due to usability issues and lack of integration into clinical work and the electronic health record (EHR). In this study we examined the usability and acceptability of a diagnostic DSS prototype integrated with the EHR and in comparison with the EHR alone.MethodsThirty-four General Practitioners (GPs) consulted with 6 standardised patients (SPs) using only their EHR system (baseline session); on another day, they consulted with 6 different but matched for difficulty SPs, using the EHR with the integrated DSS prototype (DSS session). GPs were interviewed twice (at the end of each session), and completed the Post-Study System Usability Questionnaire at the end of the DSS session. The SPs completed the Consultation Satisfaction Questionnaire after each consultation.ResultsThe majority of GPs (74%) found the DSS useful: it helped them consider more diagnoses and ask more targeted questions. They considered three user interface features to be the most useful: (1) integration with the EHR; (2) suggested diagnoses to consider at the start of the consultation and; (3) the checklist of symptoms and signs in relation to each suggested diagnosis. There were also criticisms: half of the GPs felt that the DSS changed their consultation style, by requiring them to code symptoms and signs while interacting with the patient. SPs sometimes commented that GPs were looking at their computer more than at them; this comment was made more often in the DSS session (15%) than in the baseline session (3%). Nevertheless, SP ratings on the satisfaction questionnaire did not differ between the two sessions.ConclusionsTo use the DSS effectively, GPs would need to adapt their consultation style, so that they code more information during rather than at the end of the consultation. This presents a potential barrier to adoption. Training GPs to use the system in a patient-centred way, as well as improvement of the DSS interface itself, could facilitate coding. To enhance patient acceptability, patients should be informed about the potential of the DSS to improve diagnostic accuracy.

Long-Term Follow-up of Recurrence and Patient Satisfaction After Surgical Treatment of Gynecomastia.

"Gynecomastia" is an enlargement of the male breast. Our study aims to assess patient satisfaction as well as evaluate differences in recurrence rates in lipomatous and glandular gynecomastia 10-19years postoperatively. Forty-one gynecomastia patients undergoing surgical treatment from 1997 to 2005 were invited for a follow-up examination 10-19years postoperatively. Of these, 16 patients presented for a clinical examination. Patient satisfaction was measured with a validated questionnaire [consultation satisfaction questionnaire (CSQ)-9]. Furthermore, photo-material and patient charts were evaluated concerning preoperative macroscopical type of gynecomastia, BMI, and operative technique. Mean follow-up time was 13.8years (range: 10.5-19years). Eight patients (50%) had presented with lipomatous and eight patients (50%) with glandular gynecomastia prior to surgery. One of the patients with glandular gynecomastia (12.5%) presented with recurrence at the time of follow-up, while five of the eight patients showing lipomatous gynecomastia (62.5%) presented with recurrence. Interestingly, younger patient groups tend to be more satisfied with the operative treatment of gynecomastia than older patient groups, especially regarding the improvement of self-esteem. Long-term follow-up results showed that recurrence rates are significantly higher in patients with lipomatous gynecomastia than in patients with glandular gynecomastia, with BMI increase in patients with glandular and lipomatous gynecomastia showing no statistically significant differences. Furthermore, general patient satisfaction and improvement of self-esteem was higher in younger patient groups than older patient groups. This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 . DRKS00009630.

Patients' satisfaction regarding family physician's consultation in primary healthcare centers of Ministry of Health, Jeddah.

Introduction:The current study aims to assess the level of patients’ satisfaction and the factors contributing to patients’ satisfaction toward family physicians (FPs) consultation, visiting primary healthcare centers (PHCCs) working under Ministry of Health, Jeddah.Materials and Methods:In this cross-sectional study conducted in Jeddah from November 1, 2016 to March 1, 2017, we used consultation satisfaction questionnaire and its four subscales with standard cutoffs. These subscales include general satisfaction, professional care, depth of relationship, and length of consultation. Mean scores along with standard deviation of these subscales were measured. Independent sample t-test, ANOVA, and multivariate regression analysis were performed to test the association between satisfaction level and predictors.Results:Overall, patients’ satisfaction was 60%. Around 74% of patients were satisfied with the professional care and 58% with the depth of the relationship. Around 60% of patients need more consultation time with the physicians. Knowledge about the presence of FP in the nearest PHCCs was around 70%. Multivariate regression analysis for the overall high satisfaction showed that the most important predictors of this high satisfaction level are regular visits to a particular FP (P < 0.001), distance from the PHCC (P = 0.044) and gender of the patient (P = 0.027).Conclusion:This study concluded that satisfaction with the FP's consultation is acceptable but needs improvement. Lower satisfaction was reported among males, patients living at a distance from PHCC and who had less knowledge about the presence of FP in their nearest PHCC. Such study data are vital for any corrective measures to boost satisfaction in patients attending PHCCs.

Effects of writing down the request for help: A randomized controlled trial

Background: Studies investigating interventions, aimed at improving patient satisfaction by exploring the patient's request for help, show conflicting results.Objectives: To investigate whether writing down the request for help on a request card, prior to the consultation improves patient satisfaction.Methods: This study was a single-blind randomized controlled trial, in which the patients were blinded to the intervention. Patients were recruited in two rural practices (five GPs) and one urban practice (four GPs) in The Netherlands. Consecutive patients with a new request for help were asked to participate. All patients received general information about patient satisfaction. After randomization, patients in the intervention group were asked to fill in a card with their request(s) for help; the general practitioners started the consultations with these questions. We used the ‘Professional Care’ subscale of the Consultation Satisfaction Questionnaire (CSQ) to examine the effect of the intervention on patient satisfaction. Secondary outcomes were patient satisfaction measured with the patient's VAS score, the GP's VAS score on satisfaction, consultation time, the other subscales of the CSQ, and the number of consultations during follow-up.Results: There was no difference in patient satisfaction (CSQ, VAS) between both groups. We also did not find any differences between the other subscales of the CSQ.Conclusion: A beneficial effect of the use of a ‘request card’ by the patient on patient satisfaction of the consultation could not be demonstrated.

Developing a Model of Medication Adherence among Filipino Elderly

While adherence to medication remains a problematic area in the care of chronically ill elderly, an extended model that incorporates the interaction of studied variables remains a blank spot. Anchored on Ajzen's Theory of Planned Behavior, this article details our efforts to develop and test a model of medication adherence among Filipino elderly relative to their medication belief, follow-up visits, consultation satisfaction, memory task, trust with physician, perceived stress, memory strategies, social support, memory load, depression, length of time taking the medication, number of conditions, and self-efficacy with medication adherence. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to study causalities among all parameters. With the participation of 325 older adults located in District IV, Sampaloc, Manila, data needed were gathered through a multiaspect questionnaire consisting of a robotfoto, a memory strategy usage measure, an eight-scale Morisky Medication Adherence Scale, a 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale, a General Self-efficacy Scale, a Consultation Satisfaction Questionnaire, and a Perceived Stress Scale. Data were analyzed using AMOS version 19. Results revealed that depression, trust with physician, and number of conditions affect adherence positively, while event-based memory, consultation satisfaction, memory load, and external memory strategy affect it otherwise. Some suggested variables were found to have no impact at all. As this study reveals, careful consideration should be given to multiple factors, and their interrelationship should be examined well. Because many factors can influence medication adherence behavior of the elderly, and because the reasons for their noncompliance are also varied, multifaceted solutions must be developed.

Patient feedback in revalidation: an exploratory study using the consultation satisfaction questionnaire

Revalidation is the UK process for the review of doctors to ensure they are fit to practise. Revalidation will include patient feedback. To investigate the role of patient feedback on GPs' consultations in revalidation. Cross-sectional survey of patients consulting 171 GPs. A total of 6433 patients aged 16 years or over completed the consultation satisfaction questionnaire (CSQ). Generalisability analysis was undertaken, scale scores calculated, and outliers identified using two and three standard deviations from the mean as control limits. Comments made by patients were categorised into positive, neutral, or negative. After averaging each scale for each doctor, mean scores (standard deviation), out of a possible score of 100, were: general satisfaction 78.1 (7.2); professional care 82.1 (6.1); relationship 71.2 (7.1); perceived time 65.7 (7.6). A D-study (which enables estimation of the reliability from 0-1 of the CSQ scores for different numbers of responders for each doctor), indicated that ratings by 19 patients would achieve a generalisability coefficient of 0.80 for the combined score. Fifteen GPs had one or more scale scores below two standard deviations of the mean. Comments were more often negative for GPs with scores below two standard deviations of the mean. Most patients of most GPs are satisfied with their experience of consultations, and ways to make patient feedback formative for these doctors is required. For a few GPs, most patients report some dissatisfaction. Patient feedback may identify doctors who need educational support and possibly remediation, but agreed questionnaire score thresholds are required, and agreement is needed on the weight to be attached to patient experience in comparison with other aspects of performance.

Patients’ level of satisfaction and self-reports of intention to comply following consultation with nurses and midwives with prescriptive authority: A cross-sectional survey

Background Prescriptive authority for nurses and midwives was introduced in Ireland in 2007. This allows nurses and midwives who have completed a prescribing preparation programme to independently prescribe a wide-range of medications. To date little is known of patient outcomes such as satisfaction with the consultation process and intention to comply as a consequence of the introduction of nurse and midwife prescribing. Objectives There are four principal objectives within this study: (1) to measure the level of patients’ satisfaction with education and advice received from a nurse or midwife with a prescribing remit; (2) to measure patients’ satisfaction with the consultation process; (3) to measure patients’ self-reports of their intention to comply with the prescriber's prescription and advice; and (4) to identify the variables that predict patients’ intention to comply with the prescription and advice provided by a nurse or midwife with prescriptive authority. Design Cross-sectional descriptive survey. Participants and setting A total of one hundred and forty respondents completed the survey. Respondents consisted of adult patients who had received a prescription from a nurse prescriber in a general hospital, women who had received a prescription from a midwife in a maternity hospital and parents whose child received a prescription from a nurse in a children's hospital. Methods Instruments used to measure patient outcomes included the Consultation Satisfaction Questionnaire (CSQ) and the compliance intent subscale of the Medical Interview Satisfaction Scale (MISS). A linear multiple regression model was performed to identify the variables that predicted patients’ intent to comply. Results Patients and parents surveyed were highly satisfied with the care they received from nurses and midwives with prescriptive authority. Respondents also reported that they received comprehensive education and advice. Predictors of compliance intent included patient satisfaction with the time spent with the nurse or midwife during the prescribing consultation, overall satisfaction with the consultation process and patients’ health status. Conclusions Extending a prescribing remit to nurses and midwives has been an effective addition to the provision of health care. Providing patients with time to address their questions and concerns during the consultation process impacts positively on patient outcomes and develops a philosophy of concordance between the patient and nurse/midwife prescriber.

The Relation between Good Communication Skills on the Part of the Physician and Patient Satisfaction in a Military Setting

The objective of this study was to assess the correlation between patients' view of the consultation and the assessment of an auditing physician on the same consultation. A prospective study in military clinics was conducted. A board-certified family physician made a real-time semistructured assessment of the medical consultation. At the end of it, the patient was asked to fill in the Consultation Satisfaction Questionnaire. The degree of correlation between patients' satisfaction from consultation and the scores given by the auditing physician was evaluated. Twelve primary care physicians were evaluated. A total of 117 (76.5%) of 153 patients returned their questionnaires. A positive correlation was found between physician's communication skills and general satisfaction (r = 0.614), professional care (r = 0.367), and depth of relationship (r = 0.275) calculated from the Consultation Satisfaction Questionnaire. No correlation was found between patient satisfaction and other consultation skills. Good communication skills may enhance patient satisfaction. It may be advisable to investigate whether a training program to enhance the physician's communication skills can improve patient satisfaction.

Patient satisfaction with nurse-led telephone consultation for the follow-up of patients with prostate cancer

Prostate cancer is being diagnosed earlier and in higher numbers than ever before. The nature of the disease means many patients have to be monitored regularly and for a prolonged period leading to increased pressure on urology outpatient resources and inconvenience for the patient. Here we investigate patient satisfaction with a nurse-led telephone-based follow-up clinic and compare it to satisfaction with traditional outpatient consultations. A Consultation Satisfaction Questionnaire (CSQ) evaluating four domains, namely General Satisfaction (GS), Professional Care (PC), Depth of Relationship (DR) and Perceived Time (PT) was used to assess satisfaction in three groups. Group 1 consisted of 299 patients attending the outpatient department before commencing telephone consultations; Group 2 consisted of 163 men attending outpatients after commencement of the telephone consultations; and Group 3 was the telephone group (234 men). We demonstrated no significant difference in GS or PC between Group 1 and Group 3 or Group 2 and Group 3, although DR and PT was significantly lower in the telephone group compared with Group 1. We also found that waiting times were significantly shorter in the telephone group. In conclusion, telephone follow-up appears to be an acceptable alternative to outpatient follow-up in terms of GS and PC and appears to be more convenient for the patient, although these benefits come at the expense of loss of DR and PT with the clinician.

Can doctors predict patients' satisfaction and enablement? A cross-sectional observational study

Patient satisfaction surveys are increasingly used to measure consulting quality and outcome, but little is known of how good doctors are at judging their patients' satisfaction with their consultations. To determine if patient satisfaction and enablement following a consultation are correlated with both inexperienced and experienced doctors' predictions of patient satisfaction and doctors' own satisfaction with the consultation. Cross-sectional questionnaire-based observational study. Scottish general practices. Using a post-consultation questionnaire we compared doctors' estimates of patient satisfaction with the consultation; doctors' own satisfaction with the consultation; scores on the Patient Enablement Instrument (PEI) and the Consultation Satisfaction Questionnaire (CSQ). Twenty-nine doctors and 1848 patients took part. Each doctor recorded an average of 63.7 (SD: 32.1) consultations. Patient measures of satisfaction and enablement were only weakly correlated with doctor predictions of patient satisfaction (rs=0.07 for PEI and 0.13 for CSQ; both P<0.01) or doctor satisfaction (rs=0.10 for PEI and 0.12 for CSQ; both P<0.01) with the consultation. They were, however, moderately well correlated (rs=0.50 P<0.01) with one another. Doctors are poor at predicting patient satisfaction in the consultation. Further research is required to determine the reasons for this.

The relationship between measures of patient satisfaction and enablement and professional assessments of consultation competence

The authors examined the extent of the relationship between a Consultation satisfaction questionnaire and Patient enablement instrument scores and professionally assessed consultation competence scores of senior medical students. Three analyses were performed: (i) linear regression with mean overall competence score as response variable; (ii) sensitivity and specificity calculations using patient scores to classify competence; (iii) a repeated measures model with consultation-specific competence score as response variable. One hundred and nineteen students and 388 patients took part. Consultation satisfaction and enablement scores were weakly correlated with overall and consultation specific competence scores (correlation coefficient 0.16 to 0.44). ‘Satisfaction with professional care’ had a sensitivity of 0.68, specificity of 0.72 and positive and negative predictive values of 0.32 and 0.92 respectively. It is concluded that patient and professional assessments may complement, but do not replace, each other. Levels of patient satisfaction should not be used as proxy measures of the quality of consultation competence.

Partner violence and medical encounters: African-American women’s perspectives

Objective: To examine the relationship between intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization and patient satisfaction with medical encounters among an African-American population. Design: Cross-sectional, self-administered, anonymous survey. Setting: Community-based, primary care center. Patients: Consecutive African-American women recruited from an urban health center. A total of 102 women provided sufficient information to reveal whether they were currently experiencing IPV and to allow us to assess their experiences in their most recent primary care encounter. Measurements: Patients’ perceptions of their most recent encounter using questions adopted from the Medical Interview Satisfaction Scale and Consultation Satisfaction Questionnaire. We used the Conflicts Tactics Scale, supplemented with questions measuring sexual violence and emotional abuse, to assess IPV “in the past year.” Results: Women who reported current IPV rated several aspects of the encounter more negatively than did women who did not report current abuse. The IPV victims were less likely to report that they felt respected and accepted during the encounter, and they provided lower ratings of the quality of communication with their providers. Conclusions: It is unclear why victims of partner violence experience medical encounters as less satisfactory. Researchers need to expand studies of medical encounters as experienced by abused women to determine whether IPV status adversely affects general medical care.

Nurse management of patients with minor illnesses in general practice: multicentre, randomised controlled trial

Objective: To assess the acceptability and safety of a minor illness service led by practice nurses in general practice.Design: Multicentre, randomised controlled trial.Setting: 5 general practices in south east London...