Factors Influencing Patient Satisfaction Research Articles

Identification of factors influencing patient satisfaction with orthopaedic outpatient clinic consultation: A qualitative study

BackgroundIn recent years, new models of health service delivery in orthopaedic outpatient clinics, including physiotherapists working in orthopaedic triage roles, have become increasingly common. Evaluation of patient satisfaction with orthopaedic clinic services is dependent on an understanding of factors influencing patient satisfaction in this clinical context. ObjectivesThe objective of this study was to identify the factors influencing patient satisfaction with orthopaedic outpatient clinic services. Study DesignA cross-sectional, qualitative design including focus groups and interviews. MethodsInterviews and focus group sessions were undertaken with 36 participants representing patients, health professionals and clinical support staff in an orthopaedic outpatient clinic. Interviews and focus groups provided a rich narrative which was subjected to a process of thematic analysis. ResultsThe analysis identified seven themes influencing patient satisfaction with orthopaedic clinic assessment. These themes were clinic waiting time, clinical contact time, trust, empathy, communication, expectation and relatedness. ConclusionsUnderstanding factors influencing patient satisfaction is important to inform organisational and clinical processes that aim to foster high levels of patient satisfaction. Clinician awareness of the interpersonal issues which dominate stakeholders' perspectives of patient satisfaction may improve the patient experience and potentially foster patient behaviours toward a therapeutic advantage. An understanding of these factors in the context of orthopaedic clinics is also important in the development of questionnaires designed to evaluate patient satisfaction with health service delivery.

Predictors for satisfaction after anatomic total shoulder arthroplasty for idiopathic glenohumeral osteoarthritis.

The use of total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) to treat primary glenohumeral osteoarthritis (GHOA) is increasing. Factors influencing patient satisfaction after surgery have not been well documented. The aim of this study was to determine demographic, radiologic, and surgical, factors predictive for satisfaction after TSA for GHOA. Between 2005 and 2012, 95 shoulders undergoing TSA for GHOA by a single surgeon were eligible for inclusion in the study. Age, gender, previous surgeries, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score, and Walch glenoid morphology were analyzed as satisfaction predictors. Patients with Walch glenoid type C were excluded. Data on 80/92(87%) shoulders were available at a mean of 3years (range 2-9). Three complications (3%) and 2 failures (2%) occurred. The outcome scores collected significantly improved from preoperative values (p<0.05). Median patient satisfaction was 10/10. Gender, age, previous surgery, ASA score, and Walch morphology were not associated with patient satisfaction. TSA provided excellent results for patients with idiopathic GHOA with low complication and failure rates. Outcomes after TSA for type B glenoid morphology with posterior subluxation were similar to outcomes after TSA for centered type A morphology. Overall patient satisfaction was high and was not influenced by the demographic, anatomic, and surgical variables investigated. III, Therapeutic study, Retrospective Cohort Study.

Factors influencing inpatients' satisfaction with hospitalization service in public hospitals in Shanghai, People's Republic of China.

ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to observe the current status of inpatient satisfaction and analyze the possible factors influencing patient satisfaction during hospitalization.MethodsA cross-sectional investigation was conducted to obtain basic information about inpatient satisfaction, and statistical methods were used to describe and analyze the data. A total of 878 questionnaires were included in this study. A 5-point Likert scale rating was employed to assess items related to hospitalization care. Nonparametric tests and ordinal logistic analysis were used to explore the relationship between predictors and the patients’ overall satisfaction.ResultsAmong the respondents, 89.75% were satisfied overall with the service they received during hospitalization, while 0.57% reported dissatisfaction. Inpatient demographic characteristics such as sex of the patients, occupation, age, and residence had significant associations with satisfaction, while monthly income and marital status did not. Additionally, the statistical outcome indicated that doctors’ and nurses’ service attitudes, and expenditure and environment were found to have an impact on the inpatient satisfaction ratings, with odds ratio of 2.43, 3.19, and 2.72, respectively.ConclusionThis study emphasizes the influence of sex of the patients, the service attitudes of the doctors and nurses, and expenditure and environment on inpatient satisfaction. An increase in satisfaction ratings concerning the areas of doctors’ and nurses’ service attitudes, and expenditure and environment can improve the overall satisfaction levels. Responsible health management departments should pay attention to patient satisfaction and improve the quality of relevant health services, thus ultimately enhancing inpatients’ hospitalization experiences.

Factors influencing patient satisfaction: assessment in outpatients in dermatology department.

Improving patient satisfaction may lead to better adherence with treatment and consequently to better clinical outcomes for skin diseases. The aim of this study was to determine factors influencing patient satisfaction in consultations with dermatologists. All patients presenting to the secretariat for a medical consultation received a one-page anonymous questionnaire to fill at the end of the consultation. Two hundred forty-seven questionnaires were completed. Mean age of the population was 43.6 years with 58.4% of women and 41.6% of men in the sample. Patients were generally satisfied with their consultation (77.1%). Patient age was signifcantly related to overall satisfaction (P < 0.01), with greater satisfaction among patients aged 50 years and older. The factors that infuence overall satisfaction the most were quality of life, physician's concerning, interest in the medical problem and attention given to symptoms. Performance of a full-body skin examination, use of dermatoscopy, performance of a skin biopsy and comfort of the waiting room were additional factors contributing to satisfaction among patients 50 years and older. Interpersonal skills of dermatologists and attention to the quality of life are important factors in outpatient satisfaction.

Health plan, physician, and medical care ratings among end-of-life (EOL) cancer survivors.

80 Background: High-quality EOL care is critical for patients and families. However, little is known about factors influencing patient satisfaction with their healthcare near EOL. This study’s objective is to assess the role of characteristics of individuals with cancer near EOL on their ratings for medical care, health plans, and physicians. Methods: Retrospective analyses of the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) Medicare Survey linked to NCI’s Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program. CAHPS collected Medicare beneficiaries’ ratings for overall care, physicians, health plans, and 5 composite scores of aspects of care; SEER provided data on cancer diagnosis and characteristics. The study included 5,102 Medicare beneficiaries diagnosed with cancer in SEER regions 1997-2011 who completed CAHPS following diagnosis and within one year before death. Logistic regression was used to examine associations of EOL patient characteristics with their ratings. Results: Self-reported very good or excellent (vs. poor) general health significantly (p &lt; 0.05) predicted greater likelihood of higher ratings for all measures (ORs ranged 1.5 to 2.2). Very good/excellent mental health also predicted increased likelihood of higher ratings for all except one category (ORs 1.8 to 2.7). Other patient factors were significantly associated with a subset of ratings. For example, Hispanics (vs. Whites) were more likely to provide higher ratings for health plans (OR 1.5) and specialist physicians (OR 1.7) but lower ratings for getting needed care (OR 0.62). Fee-for-service (vs. Medicare Advantage) beneficiaries were more likely to provide higher ratings for health plans, getting needed care, and getting care quickly (ORs 1.4, 1.3, 1.6). Patient age, cancer site, and time since diagnosis had few or no significant associations with any measure. Conclusions: Among cancer patients near EOL, better self-reported general and mental health consistently predicted higher ratings. Fee-for-service Medicare patients provided higher ratings for several important categories. These results may help guide future research on interventions to improve the EOL experience among Medicare beneficiaries.

What makes Patients Satisfied with their Healthcare? Nationwide Patient Experience Surveys in Japan

Introduction: Patient Experience is stressed more in the context of patient safety and patient-centered care. It is a crucial component in quality evaluation of healthcare. In Japan, Patient Experience Survey (PES) has been conducted at the national level in three-year intervals since 1996. We overviewed general satisfaction of patients in time- series and examined the factors associated with. Methods: Open source data of PES from 1996 to 2011 were used to find time-series change in general patient satisfaction. For cross-sectional analysis, we examined the factors influencing patient satisfaction by using original PES data of 2005. Cronbach’s alpha was calculated for examining reliability of seven questions about patient satisfaction. Logistic regression analysis adjusted for age and sex was used for examining the associations with patient satisfaction and other factors. Results: Overall rates of showing general satisfaction (extremely satisfied and satisfied) were gradually increased from 53.7% to 64.7% among inpatients, but less increase among outpatients from 48.1% to 50.4%. Seven questions on patient satisfaction in the questionnaire for both inpatients and outpatients, high reliability were confirmed with Cronbach’s alphas 0.895 and 0.863, respectively. The highest average score was found in satisfaction with care provided by nurse. Patients’ general satisfaction was highly related with satisfaction in good communication with physician (Pearson’s correlation coefficient; r=0.650, p<0.01). Among outpatients, satisfaction with the cost which patients paid on the day they visited had smaller correlation coefficients compared with other satisfaction variables (r=0.255-0.294). Respecting autonomy (patients decision was respected on treatment) had positive association with patient satisfaction (β=0.152, SE=0.031, p<0.001) and uncertainty of patient safety had negative association with patient satisfaction (β=-1.512, SE=0.052, p<0.001). Conclusion: General satisfaction among patients has been stable or slightly improved over 15 years. Good communication with physician, respecting autonomy and patient safety should be recognized again to improve patient satisfaction.

Improving Patient Satisfaction in the Outpatient Otolaryngology Clinic

Objectives: (1) Determine patient and provider factors associated with patient dissatisfaction in an otolaryngology clinic. (2) Identify strategies to improve the patient experience. Methods: Patient satisfaction surveys were prospectively collected in an academic otolaryngology clinic from January 2011 through March 2013. Patient variables (age, insurance type, established vs new patient, diagnosis, and treatability of condition) and provider variables (years in practice, subspecialty, and clinic wait time) were retrospectively analyzed to determine factors associated with patient dissatisfaction. “Treatability” was graded on a scale of 1 to 5, with diagnoses having a clear treatment option (ie, tonsillectomy for chronic tonsillitis) = 1, and diagnoses with no therapeutic options available (ie, tinnitus) = 5. Results: The cohort included 820 patient satisfaction surveys and charts. Stepwise linear regression analysis identified no single patient or provider variable associated with poor satisfaction scores. Cluster analysis evaluating the interplay between variables identified 5 unique clusters of patients. Satisfaction scores in 4 of the clusters were in the 99th percentile, while the remaining cluster ranked in the 10th percentile. This cluster consisted of a higher proportion of new patients with difficult-to-treat otologic conditions who described their wait time as excessive and were more likely to be self-pay. Conclusions: Several factors influence patient satisfaction in an otolaryngology clinic. In this study, variables associated with lower patient satisfaction scores included patients with longer clinic wait times, “difficult to treat” otologic diagnoses, and new patients. Addressing the issues common in this population to better meet their needs and expectations may improve overall patient satisfaction.

Satisfaction following immediate breast reconstruction: Experiences in the early post-operative stage.

This qualitative study aimed to achieve an understanding of women's experiences of immediate breast reconstruction following mastectomy, to better understand the factors influencing patient satisfaction. Nine women were recruited from a breast unit in the North West of England. Participants were 3-9 months post-reconstruction, had received either an implant-based or Latissimus Dorsi-based immediate reconstruction and were not receiving any adjuvant therapies. An inductive qualitative and phenomenological approach was adopted to data collection and analysis. Women took part in semi-structured interviews. All interviews were transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis. Four themes were generated: Seeking and receiving information; coping with the outcome of reconstruction; the need for on-going support and a new life after surgery. The study highlights difficulties surrounding receiving information and decision-making, how women make sense of recovery, how they solicit and receive support, and the process by which they begin to make sense of their futures. More focus on these areas in service provision may aid positive psychological outcomes in the recovery process following immediate breast reconstruction.

Factors Influencing Patient Satisfaction Two to Five Years After Primary Total Knee Arthroplasty

Between 15% and 20% of primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA) patients have been reported to be dissatisfied with the procedure. With 2 to 5 year follow-up of 768/959 (80%) cruciate-retaining TKAs performed by a single surgeon, we evaluated the prevalence of dissatisfied patients and determined which factors were most related to patient satisfaction. Of the 768 TKAs, 80 were dissatisfied with their procedure (10.4%). Postoperative Knee Society Pain Scores and passive knee flexion were most related to a lack of satisfaction. Age, gender, and BMI did not appear to be related to patient satisfaction. By and large, dissatisfied patients in the current study had not experienced improvements in passive flexion, Pain Scores, or Function Scores when compared to their preoperative state.

Patient Satisfaction with Services at a General Outpatient Clinic of a Tertiary Hospital in Nigeria

Aims: To determine the factors influencing patient satisfaction with services at the general outpatient clinic of a tertiary hospital in Nigeria. Study Design: A descriptive cross sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: We carried out the study between February and July 2011, in the General Outpatient Department of Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital Sokoto, Ni. Methodology: One hundred respondents were sampled using systematic sampling technique. We developed a structured questionnaire, which sought information on sociodemographic characteristics of patients, registration/wait times and patients’ satisfaction. We analyzed the data using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 17.0. Results: Out of the 100 patients sampled, 4 opted out, thus giving a response rate of 96%. Their ages ranged between 15-70 years with mean of 32±13 years. Students constituted 28.4% of the participants, followed by full term housewives (27%). Those participants having up to tertiary education accounted for 36.1%. Up to 62.5% of participants were females and majority of them were from urban areas (88.5%). Original Research Article British Journal of Medicine & Medical Research, 4(11): 2181-2202, 2014 2182 Registration time ranged between 1-132 minutes (mean = 76±22.7 minutes) whereas clinic wait time ranged between 10-167minutes (mean = 83.7±38.6 minutes). Sixty five percent of them expressed satisfaction with neatness of the clinic environment, 48.5% expressed satisfaction with communication with the doctors while 65% expressed satisfaction with the explanations offered concerning their ailments. The overall satisfaction with services at the clinic was 52%. Determinants of satisfaction were total clinic wait time (P=.001, r=-0.4), clinic wait time (P=.007, r=-0.25) and age (P=.001, r=0.31). Conclusion: The overall satisfaction with services at the clinic was above average, patients expressed dissatisfaction with registration time, wait time and condition of consulting room. Health care managers should commence appointment system to reduce the number of patients who turn out at the same time. They should also address provider-related factors that cause dissatisfaction.

Factors influencing patient satisfaction with antimuscarinic treatment of overactive bladder syndrome: Results of a real‐life clinical study

To investigate patient satisfaction with antimuscarinic treatment of overactive bladder syndrome, and to identify factors having a significant influence on satisfaction. A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was carried out to assess treatment satisfaction among male and female patients with overactive bladder (age ≥20 years) in the Hokuriku district of Japan. The overactive bladder symptom scores, treatment efficacies, adverse events (dry mouth and constipation), and patient satisfaction scores were investigated and compared among patients using different antimuscarinic therapeutics. In total, 977 survey respondents (52.6% men; mean age 73.6 years) received antimuscarinic treatment. The mean overactive bladder symptom score of these patients was 6.17; in addition, 32.3% patients were satisfied with their treatment, but 33.1% were dissatisfied. Factors having a significant influence on treatment satisfaction were sex (men were less satisfied), efficacy, adverse events and the overactive bladder symptom score. Constipation negatively influenced patient satisfaction to a greater extent than did dry mouth. Patient satisfaction varied according to the drug used. Constipation was less severe with the immediate-release-type agents (imidafenacin and oxybutynin) than with the extended-release-type (propiverine, solifenacin or tolterodine). Just one-third of Japanese Hokuriku patients with overactive bladder seem to be satisfied with their antimuscarinic treatment. Patient satisfaction is impaired by poor efficacy and the presence of adverse events; furthermore, constipation should be recognized as an adverse event that negatively influences patient satisfaction to a greater extent than dry mouth. Patient satisfaction differs according to the antimuscarinic agent used, with higher patient satisfaction being associated with less severe constipation.

Satisfaction after the Malone antegrade continence enema procedure in patients with spina bifida

Retrospective chart review. To evaluate the clinical outcomes and factors influencing patient satisfaction with Malone antegrade continence enema (MACE) in patients with spina bifida. Japan. We performed retrospective analysis of 21 patients with spina bifida who underwent surgical creation of an MACE stoma. Clinical outcomes were evaluated by medical records, operative notes and mailed questionnaires. Patient satisfaction scores (SSs) were measured on a modified visual analog scale (VAS) from 1 to 10, and the factors influencing the SS were analyzed. A 100% return rate for the mailed questionnaires was achieved. All patients underwent in situ appendicocecostomy with cecal plication. There was only one complication that required surgical revision. Regarding fecal continence, the overall success rate was 90%. Although 4 patients (19%) had severe irrigation pain and 4 patients (19%) found the washout time intolerably long, 18 (85%) of them were satisfied with the MACE procedure. Age at operation, experience of retrograde colonic enema (RCE), experience of stomal leakage, increased comfort at school or workplace and increased comfort at sleepovers significantly influenced SSs. MACE is a valuable option in achieving fecal continence in patients with spina bifida, with most patients being satisfied with the procedure. In our analysis, younger age at operation, previous experience of RCE, no stomal leakage and improvement of quality of life (enhanced comfort at school, workplace and sleepovers) significantly influenced the high satisfaction after MACE.

Patient satisfaction in a Moroccan emergency department

BackgroundMeasuring healthcare quality and improving patient satisfaction have become increasingly prevalent, especially among healthcare providers and purchasers of healthcare. Currently, research is interested to the satisfaction in several areas, and in various cultures. The aim of this study was; to confirm the reliability and validity of the Arabic version of the Emergency Department Quality Study (EDQS), to evaluate patient satisfaction with emergency care, and to determine associated factors with patient satisfaction.MethodsA survey of socio demographic, visit and health characteristics of patients, conducted in emergency department (ED) of a Moroccan University Hospital during 1 week in February 2009. The EDQS was performed with patients who were discharged from ED. The psychometric properties of the EDQS were tested. Factors influencing patient satisfaction were identified using ordinal logistic regression.ResultsA total of 212 patients were enrolled. The Arabic version of the EDQS showed excellent reliability and validity. Sixty six percent of participants were satisfied with overall care, and 69.8% would return to our unit. The most patient-reported problems were about waiting time and test results. Variables associated with greater satisfaction with ED care were: emergent (OR: 0.15; 95% CI = 0.04-0.31; P < 0.001), or urgent patients (OR: 0.35; 95% CI = 0.15-0.86; P = 0.02) compared to non-urgent patients, and waiting time less than 15 min (OR: 0.41; 95% CI = 0.23-0.75; P = 0.003). Variables associated with lesser satisfaction were: distance patient’s home hospital ≤10Kilometers (OR: 2.64; 95% CI = 1.53-4.53; P < 0.001), weekday’s admissions (OR: 2.66; 95% CI = 1.32 to 5.34; P < 0.006), and educational level; with secondary (OR: 5.19; 95% CI = 2.04-13.21; P < 0.001) primary (OR: 3.04; 95% CI = 1.10-8.04; P = 0.03) and illiterate patients (OR: 2.53; 95% CI = 1.02-6.30; P = 0.03) were less satisfied compared to those with high educational level.ConclusionMedical staff needs to consider different interactions between those predictive factors in order to develop some supportive tools.

Patient satisfaction with electronic medical/health record: a systematic review

Facilitators and barriers to satisfaction after implementation of the electronic medical/health record (EMR/EHR) are important to understand as patient satisfaction is linked with improvement in health care and meaningful use of EMR/EHR. The objectives of this systematic review were to evaluate patient satisfaction after implementation and to synthesize available factors regarding the estimates of the patient satisfaction with EMR/EHR. These factors may help vendors to better design EMR/EHR and to assist in providing direction for progression of research in this field. Data sources for the study included reports of studies from the Medline, Ovid, Springerlink, EBSCOhost, Embase and Wiley Online Library, and searching of bibliographies of review and other articles. Our inclusion criteria were the descriptions of patient satisfaction after implementation of EMR/EHR. Searching the online database resulted in 1425 articles and 58 articles from reference lists. After removing duplicates and assessing against the selection criteria, 41 articles were for further full-text review. After careful analysis, 33 articles were excluded. Eventually, a total of eight articles met inclusion criteria and were assessed. These studies showed a positive patient satisfaction with EMR/EHR, but more rigorous studies should be carried out to more precisely quantify and describe the impact of EMR/EHR on patient satisfaction. Due to many factors influencing patient satisfaction with EMR/EHR, more research is needed to understand these factors before more concrete measurements of satisfaction can be developed to help researchers develop effective evaluation satisfaction.

A Survey Evaluating Patients’ Satisfaction with the Social Work Service Provided at a Rehabilitation Centre

As patient satisfaction is an integral component of successful rehabilitation, evaluation of patient satisfaction is an important outcome in its own right. The aim of this study was to survey in-patients’ level of satisfaction with social work services provided at a rehabilitation centre. Seventy-three in-patients completed a purpose-designed survey. Data were analysed descriptively. A high level of satisfaction was reported in terms of the quality and access to the social work services, and interpersonal relationships between social work staff and patients. These results affirm that the social work service at the rehabilitation centre studied was effective from the perspective of patient satisfaction. This patient survey has provided useful information for clinicians by providing data that demonstrate patients’ satisfaction with their social work intervention and areas where the service can be improved. These findings will be of interest and relevance to social work staff working in other healthcare centres. Future research using a qualitative approach may be worthwhile to enable a more in-depth understanding of factors influencing patient satisfaction.

Examining factors influencing patient satisfaction with nurse practitioners in rural urgent care centers

To examine if demographic factors influence patients' self reports of satisfaction with care provided by nurse practitioners (NPs) in rural urgent care centers (UCCs). Data were collected between December 2009 and February 2010 using an 18-item self-report survey from a convenience sample of 53 patients in two rural UCCs. No statistical significance was noted in regards to patient satisfaction for the demographic factors age, gender, country of upbringing, or education level. Presence of health insurance was a significant factor, with uninsured patients rating higher levels of satisfaction. However, based on patients' responses to role clarity for this survey, it is evident that there continues to be insufficient public understanding of the role of NPs. The future of the NP relies on patient approval as well as acceptance of the role. This study joins the pioneering efforts towards describing what patient satisfaction is and supports NPs serving as providers in rural, nonprimary care venues. By identifying influential factors of satisfaction, NPs can bridge the gap between availability of quality care versus a lack of access and inform policy changes in the future.

Analysis of Factors Influencing Patient Satisfaction with Hospital Treatment at the Surgical Department

THE AIM OF THE STUDY was to determine factors responsible for patient satisfaction after treatment at the surgical department. The study was conducted in six health care units, which were divided into two groups: Group I: 3 hospitals with the number of beds exceeding 400, and Group II: 3 hospitals with the number of beds below 400. The study group comprised 180 patients, 30 from each of the hospitals. The authors' used the Servqual method and questionnaire with 30 questions relating to five areas characteristic of medical service. Apart from the above-mentioned we also took into consideration hospital personnel: their qualifications and salary, hospital equipment, patient hospitalization costs, and indicated by the patient--the reason for his/her satisfaction or dissatisfaction with hospitalization. Results were subject to statistical analysis. The results indicated that the factors pertaining to costs, especially those related to living conditions and also those related to empathy, personnel competence, and their communication with the patient had very significant influence on patient satisfaction with his/her hospitalization. Fulfilling the patient's needs considering the functional quality increases the patient's comfort, and as a consequence translates into satisfaction with the hospitalization. Considering both groups of hospitals the surgical departments did not entirely fulfill the patient's expectations, and there is a need for improvement in this area. The main reason for the negative feelings of patients included worse than expected living conditions, sporadic contact with physicians and lack of information concerning the course of therapy.

Factors influencing patient satisfaction in primary healthcare clinics in Kuwait

To measure the quality of health care services patient satisfaction is used as one of the most important indicators. The study aims to identify factors affecting patient's satisfaction at primary health care clinics. The data was collected during January 2007 and May 2007 through a randomly-distributed questionnaire. The questionnaires were distributed in primary healthcare clinics that represent all heath care regions in Kuwait. A total of 426 completed questionnaires, out of 500, were returned resulting in a response rate of 85.2 percent. The majority (87 percent) of the patients responded that the time for communication between physician and patient was not enough. Seventy-nine-percent of the surveyed patients said they would go to the emergency room of the hospital in future if needed instead of going to the primary care clinic. Regarding the quality of the communication relationship between physician and patients most of the patients responded negatively. Exploratory factor analysis identified six factors and reliability of overall scale was found to be 0.61. One limitation to this study was the exclusion of the private sector. The authors hope that this study identifies areas of dissatisfaction that can be quickly remedied and ensures enhancement in the areas of satisfaction with ongoing attention and emphasis.

Factors influencing patient satisfaction with dental appearance and treatments they desire to improve aesthetics

BackgroundWe assessed factors influencing patients' satisfaction with their dental appearance and the treatments they desired to improve dental aesthetics.MethodsA cross-sectional study was performed out among 235 adult patients who visited the Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia dental clinic. A structured, interviewer-guided questionnaire was used to identify patient satisfaction with their general dental appearance, cosmetic elements and desired treatments.ResultsThe 235 patients consisted of 70 males (29.8%) and 165 females (70.2%), of mean age 31.5 years (SD 13.0). Of these patients, 124 (52.8%) were not satisfied with their general dental appearance. In addition, 132 patients (56.2%) were not happy with the color of their teeth, 76 (32.3%), regarded their teeth were poorly aligned, 62 (26.4%), as crowded and 56 (23.4%) protruded. Dissatisfaction with tooth color was significantly higher in female than in male patients (odds ratio [OR] of 1.99 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.13-3.50). Tooth whitening was the treatment most desired by patients (48.1%). Results of multiple logistic regression analysis showed that patient dissatisfaction with general dental appearance was significantly associated with female gender (OR = 2.18; 95% CI: 1.18-4.03), unhappiness with tooth color (OR = 3.05; 95% CI: 1.74-5.34) and the opinion that their teeth protruded (OR = 2.91, 95% CI: 1.44-5.91).ConclusionsMost patients in this study were not satisfied with their dental appearance with a greater percentage of females expressing dissatisfaction than males. An age was not associated with satisfaction. Unhappiness with tooth color and feelings of having protruding teeth also had a significant negative influence on patient satisfaction with general dental appearance.

Patient satisfaction with obstetricians and gynecologists compared with other specialties: analysis of US self-reported survey data

Background:Few studies in the US have evaluated patient satisfaction with physicians across different specialties. We examined patient satisfaction and attitudes toward physicians during outpatient visits in the health care system, including obstetricians and gynecologists and other specialty physicians.Methods:We conducted a cross-sectional and national Web-based survey among anonymous patients who rated their physicians according to satisfaction with treatment on the basis of their experience during their most recent outpatient visits. The survey was user-friendly, validated, and helped patients identify their physicians according to specialty and rate them on a scale of 0 (“not at all satisfied”) to 10 (“extremely satisfied”). The patient satisfaction in obstetricians and gynecologists and other specialists were assessed using logistic regression analysis.Results:A total of 7938 patients who rated physicians belonging to the categories of obstetricians and gynecologists (n = 1903) and other specialties (n = 6035) were included in the study. Other things being equal, the odds of earning a satisfaction rating were almost 55% higher for visits to obstetricians and gynecologists than for other specialties (odds ratio [OR] 1.55 [1.15, 2.09], P < 0.01). Also, other things being equal, compared with other specialists, the odds of patient satisfaction due to the caring and friendly attitude of a physician were three times higher for obstetricians and gynecologists, with a logit coefficient of 1.28 (OR, 3.59 [3.17, 4.07], P < 0.001).Conclusion:Patient satisfaction ratings associated with caring and friendly attitude were higher for obstetricians and gynecologists compared to other specialists. Even though several factors influence patient satisfaction, adoption of factors like reducing waiting times, effective patient–physician communication, and involving patients in the decision-making process might aid physicians in achieving optimal results.