Articles Analysis Essay on Patient Satisfaction in the Emergency Department

Patient satisfaction remains to be the key goal for the medical practitioners when providing their services. It involves making the experience of patients better such that they feel fulfilled with the services provided to them. The patient experience may include frequent communication and follow-ups, friendly language, proper body language and many more factors. The review focuses on patient satisfaction in the emergency department in regards to the patient surveys carried out in the ED.

Benjamin et.al (2001) in the article Validating a Model of Patient Satisfaction with Emergency Care present a survey on patient satisfaction in regards to emergency care. The survey entailed sending a single-page mail to patients in four hospitals for a period of one month. The response rate was 22.9% whereby the scholars assert, The survey validates the importance of previously identified determinants of patient satisfaction, including age, help not received when needed, poor explanation of problem, not told about wait time, not told when to resume normal activity, poor explanation of test results, and not told when to return to the ED (P<.01), (Benjamin et.al, 2001). The conclusion made is that the validated model shows that efforts on improvement on patient satisfaction in the ED should limit itself to factors that are modifiable and easily measured (Benjamin et.al, 2001).

Atari and Atari (2015) in the article Brief Emergency Department Patient Satisfaction Scale (BEPSS); Development of a New Practical Instrument explain that patients who are satisfied tend to stick to the given medical instructions and hence satisfaction being significant in promoting better health. They suggest the use of the Brief Emergency Department Patient Satisfaction Scale to analyze patient satisfaction during research and when patients are in emergency care. The view is as per their findings in their study where they assessed the validity and reliability of the model scale where they state, Validity and factor structure of the scale were reported satisfactory. Reliability coefficients of the domains ranged between 0.75 and 0.88 (Atari & Atari, 2015).

Magaret et.al (2002) present a survey on patient satisfaction in the emergency department in regards to the pediatric patients and their guardians. The survey focused on assessing and making comparisons on the satisfaction of pediatric patients and their parents in the emergency department in addition to recognizing areas in the delivery of health care that affect the satisfaction of patients and their parents. From their research findings, the scholars assert that a visual scale tool may be used in assessing the satisfaction of pediatric patients in regards to validity and reliability (Magaret et.al, 2002).

Trout et.al (2000) in the article Patient Satisfaction Investigations and the Emergency Department: What Does the Literature Say? present a literature review on patient satisfaction that focused on classifying the measures affiliated to patient satisfaction, distinguishing factors associated with patient satisfaction in the ED, analyzing the strategies utilized in assessing patient satisfaction by various scholars in addition to illustrating how the gathered information is essential in structuring a survey tool used in assessing patient satisfaction. From the scholars viewpoint, surveys used in assessing overall satisfaction of patients should include a common definition for the state of overall patient satisfaction (Trout et.al, 2000), such as the time when the expectations of patients are met.

Soleimanpour et.al (2011) in the article Emergency department patient satisfaction survey in Imam Reza Hospital, Tabriz, Iran presents an analysis patient satisfaction being a significant aspect showing quality delivery of service in health care. Their study focuses on assessing patient satisfaction in Imam Reza Hospital in association with the emergency department. Through their survey that included five hundred patients, interventions are necessary when it comes to medical and nursing care, in addition to the staffs courtesy. Also, the cleanliness of the emergency room should be maintained while the waiting intervals should be shortened (Soleimanpour et.al, 2011).

Boudreaux and OHea (2004) in the article Patient Satisfaction in the Emergency Department: A Review of the Literature and Implications for Practice present an analysis of works from various scholars pertaining patient satisfaction. For individuals conducting research on patient satisfaction, the scholars assert that there is a need for them to employ samples that are more illustrative and large, assessments tools that exhibit validity and reliability, hypothesis assessment that is associated with theories, and trials that are coordinated and randomized. The view is to obtain effective results from a survey regarding patient satisfaction (Boudreaux & OHea, 2004).

Bursch et.al (1992) in the article Emergency Department Satisfaction: What Matters Most? presents an analysis concerning the significance of variables that align with the satisfaction of patients receiving care in the emergency department. The associated survey entailed making telephone calls to the participants who were patients in the emergency department of Panorama City Kaiser Permanente. The findings from the survey showed that time spent in waiting for care, quality of services provided by doctors and nurses, the organization of staff in the ED, and the information presented to patients regarding their health influenced patient satisfaction. Therefore, there is need to consider the factors to ensure that patients are satisfied with the services accorded to them (Bursch et.al, 1992).

Ware et.al (1983) in the article Defining and Measuring Patient Satisfaction with Medical Care presents a survey in the form of a questionnaire, the Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire, which may be employed in research concerning the general population. The scholars explain that the questionnaire indicates the features of the service providers and a description of the services and that adequate results have been obtained in regards to validity. The questionnaire is viewed as comprehensive and relevant when conducting research concerning patient satisfaction (Ware et.al, 1983).

Sitzia and Wood (1997) in the article Patient Satisfaction: A Review of Issues and Concepts presents a survey of about a hundred papers regarding patient satisfaction. The scholars highlight several models used in identifying perceptions associated with the delivery of quality care. The scholars state, The importance of incorporating patients' perspectives in service management was noted in documents giving guidance on NHS contracting (McIver, 1991a), with the use of patient surveys advocated in the Griffiths report (DHSS, 1984) and U.K. government policy documents Promoting Better Health (Secretaries of State for Social Services, 1987) and Working for Patients (Secretaries of State for Health, 1989), (Sitzia & Wood, 1997).

Williams (1994) in the article Patient Satisfaction: A Valid Concept! presents an analysis of various articles regarding patient satisfaction. From the review, the scholar explains that patients may exhibit complex analogies that cannot be highlighted when it comes to their medical experiences. He highlights that most surveys regarding patient satisfaction focus on the status quo. He explains that there is need to identify strategies that patients may use to assess services accorded to them for meaningful data to be obtained regarding patient satisfaction (Williams, 1994).

Mayer et.al (1998) in the article Emergency department patient satisfaction explain that initiatives regarding customer services have been used as strategies for improving customer service. The scholars include a study analyzing the impact of the initiatives that includes a survey on patient satisfaction. Fourteen characteristics concerning quality present in the survey significantly improved during the whole study. The scholars assert that training on clinical customer service has the potential of improving patient satisfaction in medical care (Mayer et.al, 1998).

References

Atari M. & Atari M., (2015). Brief emergency department patient satisfaction scale (BEPSS); development of a new practical instrument. Emergency, 3(3), 103-108.

Boudreaux, E., & O'Hea, E. (2004). Patient satisfaction in the Emergency Department: a review of the literature and implications for practice. The Journal of Emergency Medicine, 26(1), 13-26. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jemermed.2003.04.003

Bursch, B, Beezy,J., & Shaw R., (1992). Emergency Department Satisfaction: What Matters Most? Annals of Emergency Medicine, 22(3), 586-591.

Magaret, N.D et.al, (2002). Patient Satisfaction in the Emergency Department A Survey of Pediatric Patients and Their Parents. Academic Emergency Medicine, 9(12), 1379 1388.

Mayer, T.A., et al (1998). Emergency department patient satisfaction. Journal of Healthcare Management, 43(5), 427-440.

Trout et.al, (2000). Patient Satisfaction Investigations and the Emergency Department: What Does the Literature Say? Academic Emergency Medicine, 7(6), 695709.

Sitzia, J. & Wood, N., (1997). Patient Satisfaction: A Review of Issues and Concepts. Social Science and Medicine, 45(12), 1829-1843.

Soleimanpour, H. et.al, (2011). Emergency department patient satisfaction survey in Imam Reza Hospital, Tabriz, Iran. International Journal of Emergency Medicine, 4(2), 2-7.

Sun, B., Adams, J., & Burstin, H. (2001). Validating a model of patient satisfaction with emergency care. Annals of Emergency Medicine, 38(5), 527-532. http://dx.doi.org/10.1067/mem.2001.119250Ware, J. et.al, (1983). Defining and Measuring Patient Satisfaction with Medical Care. Evaluation and Program Planning, 6, 247-263.

Williams, B., (1994). Patient satisfaction: A Valid Concept? Social Science and Medicine, 38(4), 509-516.