Hospitalists May Boost Satisfaction Scores

Press Ganey, the company whose ubiquitous quality and satisfaction survey tools are used by over half of US hospitals, has reviewed its data to measure the impact of hospitalists on patient satisfaction. The findings, published in the March 1 American Journal of Medical Quality, suggest  “that facilities with hospitalists may have an advantage regarding satisfaction” in certain areas, such as nursing satisfaction and personal issues (eg, privacy, emotional needs, response to complaints).

The authors suggest that positive scores in these areas are more broadly related to succcessful communication.  “Exploring how specific hospitalist functions influence patient satisfaction may reap rewards,” they conclude.