U.S. hospitals with high patient satisfaction scores also had higher composite scores for surgical quality across all measures, according to the results of a study published in the January 2015 issue of Annals of Surgery. The study, which included 2,953 U.S. hospitals that performed at least one of six common surgical procedures (coronary artery bypass grafting, pulmonary lobectomy, endovascular aortic aneurysm repair, open abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, colectomy, or hip replacement), used national Medicare data to calculate measures of surgical efficiency and quality and assessed the relationship between these scores and each hospital's performance in patient satisfaction. When compared with hospitals scoring in the lowest quartile of patient satisfaction, those scoring in the highest quartile had higher process of care performance (96.5% versus 95.5%), lower readmission rates (12.3% versus 13.6%), and lower mortality (3.1% versus 3.6%). The data also indicated that length of stay was shorter in hospitals with the highest levels of patient satisfaction when compared with those with the lowest (7.1 days versus 7.7 days). The researchers conclude that their findings suggest that incentives to improve surgical quality and patient satisfaction are all truly aligned and that there need not be a trade-off between good quality of care for surgical patients and ensuring a positive patient experience.

HRC Recommends: Hospitals where patients report more positive experiences tend to provide higher-quality clinical care. Despite the argument by many healthcare professionals that patient satisfaction is not necessarily tied to quality care and treatment, the study above is another example of research indicating that such a link does exist. In addition, satisfied patients are more likely to understand and comply with postdischarge care and medication instructions, facilitating better outcomes. The converse is also true: low satisfaction can act as a "plus" factor for liability, and patients with poor outcomes are more likely to pursue legal action when they are angry and unhappy with their providers. Risk managers should work with facility leadership to establish a patient-experience-focused culture; assess the quality of communication between caregivers and patients and consider implementing strategies to bolster patient-centered communication; and train staff on interpersonal communication skills, emphasizing courteous, respectful communication.