ABSTRACT
More data do not necessarily equate to better analytics. Choosing the right analytics tools and applying them to specific areas leads to better results. A Midwest hospital used single-point metrics to identify underperforming facilities and drive improvements.
Subject(s)
Efficiency, Organizational , Hospitals, General , Quality Improvement , Efficiency, Organizational/statistics & numerical data , Midwestern United States , Organizational Case Studies , Quality Improvement/statistics & numerical data , Statistics as Topic/methodsABSTRACT
This study of 827,430 patients, 733 hospitals, and 25 states compares state performance in patient satisfaction with the supply of registered nurses. A significant, positive relationship exists between a state's supply of registered nurses and patients' evaluations of their care experiences. Hospitals in states with nursing shortages may be challenged by national comparisons of patient satisfaction and should take these results into account when devising their quality improvement strategy.
Subject(s)
Nursing Staff, Hospital/supply & distribution , Patient Satisfaction , Personnel Staffing and Scheduling , Quality of Health Care , Health Care Surveys , Humans , Policy Making , United StatesABSTRACT
The present study investigates patient perceptions of the quality of discharge instruction by assessing inpatients' ratings of care and service in the United States over the past 5 years (1997-2001) (n = 4,901,178). As expected, patients' ratings of "instructions given about how to care for yourself at home" showed a strong, consistent positive relationship with overall patient satisfaction from 1997 through 2001. Nevertheless, patient satisfaction with discharge instructions decreased significantly each year (p < 0.001). Patients gave lower ratings to the quality of discharge instruction than to the overall quality of their hospital stay which indicates a failure to match the quality delivered among other services within the hospital. Patient assessments of discharge instruction quality varied systematically among conditions. Patients with musculoskeletal diseases and disorders (MDC-8) rated discharge instruction considerably lower than all other patient groups. Patients' age, sex, self-described health status and length of stay did not predict patients' evaluations of discharge instructions. U.S. hospitals may not be meeting existing AMA and JCAHO standards for patient education and discharge.
Subject(s)
Patient Discharge , Patient Education as Topic , Patient Satisfaction , Quality of Health Care , Cross-Sectional Studies , Female , Humans , Linear Models , Male , Psychometrics , Surveys and QuestionnairesABSTRACT
This study examines elderly and advanced elderly inpatients' perceptions of acute care service quality, prioritises opportunities for quality improvement, and assesses variation in patients' satisfaction with care. Psychometrically-validated postal questionnaires were sent to random samplings of patients discharged from the US acute care facilities in 2002 (n = 2,057,164). Quality improvement priorities among non-elderly (< 65 years), elderly (65-74 years), and advanced elderly (> 74 years) were similar but substantial variation was found comparing single items between age groups. Elderly and advanced elderly patients rated the quality of meals and rooms significantly lower than the non-elderly, and the advanced elderly rated treatment decision making involvement significantly lower than the other two age groups. The data reveals specific, actionable areas for quality improvement and a non-linear relationship between age and satisfaction. Findings question assumptions regarding older patients' evaluations of care and indicate directions for quality improvement that account for their unique needs.
Subject(s)
Inpatients , Quality of Health Care/statistics & numerical data , Acute Disease/therapy , Aged , Health Services Research , Humans , Middle Aged , Patient Satisfaction , Surveys and QuestionnairesABSTRACT
Timeliness, one of the Institute of Medicine's six aims for improving the quality of health care, is an important yet understudied aspect of health care. It has been well documented as a factor influencing satisfaction in many other service industries but not as frequently in health care, especially outside of the emergency department. This article examines current trends with wait times and their effect on overall satisfaction with care in physician's offices and outpatient test and treatment facilities offering both analysis of the current situation and recommendations for improvement in the future.
