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Re: Patients Willing to Wait: Arrival Time, Wait Time and Patient Satisfaction in an Ambulatory Urology Clinic
Letter to the Editor urologypracticejournal.com
Re: Patients Willing to Wait: Arrival Time, Wait Time and Patient Satisfaction in an Ambulatory Urology Clinic: R. Donahue, D. Russell, C. de Riese, C. Smith, W. T. W. de Riese and A. Medway Urol Pract 2017; 4: 1e6. To the Editor The authors have addressed an important but often overlooked component of health care, that of the patient experience with their care. The notion that the patient experience (as defined by patient satisfaction and outcomes) was a critical component of health care delivery was codified by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement in their definition of the “Triple Aim.”1 The Triple Aim has become the core of U.S. health policy and is being widely adopted by third party payers as well. As such, the focus on the patient experience can only be expected to increase. Most studies regarding patient satisfaction are related to primary care or emergency services. Most articles regarding specialty services, particularly in urology, are related to satisfaction regarding specific procedures. These studies led to the notion that a variety of nonclinical parameters are the principal drivers of patient satisfaction with their health care.2 This article echoes the findings in our review of nearly 59,000 patient satisfaction surveys in that the waiting time to see the physician was not the most critical determinant of patient satisfaction.3 In fact, parameters related to the interpersonal interaction between the physician and patient were much stronger determinants of patient satisfaction than logistical parameters related to the office or contact with medical support staff. Historically, our role as providers of health care has been to deliver appropriate medical services to those in our care.
A changing health care climate demands that we address the holistic needs of the patient as well. This study mirrors our experience in that patients visiting urologists are much more concerned about their disease state than patients who may be seeing their primary care physicians for followup and well visits. As such, delivering strong patient satisfaction in addition to excellent clinical outcomes is an achievable goal for all urology practices. Respectfully, Deepak A. Kapoor Integrated Medical Professionals, PLLC Melville, New York Department of Urology The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai New York, New York References 1. Institute for Healthcare Improvement: Triple Aim for Populations. Available at http://www.ihi.org/Topics/TripleAim/Pages/default. aspx. 2. Schoenfelder T, Klewer J and Kugler J: Determinants of patient satisfaction: a study among 39 hospitals in an in-patient setting in Germany. Int J Qual Health Care 2011; 23: 503. 3. Kapoor DA: Determinants of patient satisfaction with urology practice. Urol Pract 2014; 1: 122.
Reply by Authors We appreciate Dr. Kapoor sharing his insights and knowledge in the areas of research pertaining to patient satisfaction and how it relates to U.S. health policy, in particular the “Triple Aim.” We value the additional references including his own extensive experience. We wholeheartedly concur 2352-0779/17/44-355/0 UROLOGY PRACTICE Ó 2017 by AMERICAN UROLOGICAL ASSOCIATION EDUCATION
AND
with the growing need for a “holistic” approach and focused attention to interpersonal relationships between the patient and the team providing the care, as well as the need to further scientifically explore the factors advancing success in this area.
RESEARCH, INC.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.urpr.2017.02.009 Vol. 4, 355, July 2017 Published by Elsevier
Re: Patients Willing to Wait: Arrival Time, Wait Time and Patient Satisfaction in an Ambulatory Urology Clinic: R. Donahue, D. Russell, C. de Riese, C. Smith, W. T. W. de Riese and A. Medway Urol Pract 2017; 4: 1e6. To the Editor The authors have addressed an important but often overlooked component of health care, that of the patient experience with their care. The notion that the patient experience (as defined by patient satisfaction and outcomes) was a critical component of health care delivery was codified by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement in their definition of the “Triple Aim.”1 The Triple Aim has become the core of U.S. health policy and is being widely adopted by third party payers as well. As such, the focus on the patient experience can only be expected to increase. Most studies regarding patient satisfaction are related to primary care or emergency services. Most articles regarding specialty services, particularly in urology, are related to satisfaction regarding specific procedures. These studies led to the notion that a variety of nonclinical parameters are the principal drivers of patient satisfaction with their health care.2 This article echoes the findings in our review of nearly 59,000 patient satisfaction surveys in that the waiting time to see the physician was not the most critical determinant of patient satisfaction.3 In fact, parameters related to the interpersonal interaction between the physician and patient were much stronger determinants of patient satisfaction than logistical parameters related to the office or contact with medical support staff. Historically, our role as providers of health care has been to deliver appropriate medical services to those in our care.
A changing health care climate demands that we address the holistic needs of the patient as well. This study mirrors our experience in that patients visiting urologists are much more concerned about their disease state than patients who may be seeing their primary care physicians for followup and well visits. As such, delivering strong patient satisfaction in addition to excellent clinical outcomes is an achievable goal for all urology practices. Respectfully, Deepak A. Kapoor Integrated Medical Professionals, PLLC Melville, New York Department of Urology The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai New York, New York References 1. Institute for Healthcare Improvement: Triple Aim for Populations. Available at http://www.ihi.org/Topics/TripleAim/Pages/default. aspx. 2. Schoenfelder T, Klewer J and Kugler J: Determinants of patient satisfaction: a study among 39 hospitals in an in-patient setting in Germany. Int J Qual Health Care 2011; 23: 503. 3. Kapoor DA: Determinants of patient satisfaction with urology practice. Urol Pract 2014; 1: 122.
Reply by Authors We appreciate Dr. Kapoor sharing his insights and knowledge in the areas of research pertaining to patient satisfaction and how it relates to U.S. health policy, in particular the “Triple Aim.” We value the additional references including his own extensive experience. We wholeheartedly concur 2352-0779/17/44-355/0 UROLOGY PRACTICE Ó 2017 by AMERICAN UROLOGICAL ASSOCIATION EDUCATION
AND
with the growing need for a “holistic” approach and focused attention to interpersonal relationships between the patient and the team providing the care, as well as the need to further scientifically explore the factors advancing success in this area.
RESEARCH, INC.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.urpr.2017.02.009 Vol. 4, 355, July 2017 Published by Elsevier