TITLE:
The effect of a wearable visual cue on patient satisfaction survey scores in the acute inpatient rehabilitation setting
AUTHORS:
Anthony J. Pellicane
KEYWORDS:
Press Ganey; Patient Satisfaction; Satisfaction Scores
JOURNAL NAME:
Health,
Vol.5 No.6B,
June
17,
2013
ABSTRACT:
With a portion of healthcare
reimbursement now dependent on the patient’s report of the hospital experience,
healthcare systems are looking for ways to improve patient satisfaction scores.
In this study, one inpatient physiatrist at an acute inpatient rehabilitation
facility wore a button on the right lapel of his white coat at all times which
read, “Ask ME about your TREATMENT and PROGRESS!!!” in order to determine if a
wearable visual cue prompting the patient to discuss his or her treatment and
progress alters Press Ganey Patient Satisfaction Survey (PGPSS) scores. Mean
score on the physician-specific PGPSS question “How well the rehabilitation
doctor kept you informed about your treatment and progress” was calculated
retrospectively for five months before and after the physiatrist donned the
button. Comparisons were made to two other inpatient physiatrists. For the button-wearing physiatrist, mean score for the physician-specific patient
satisfaction survey question for the five months before donning the button was
88.1 ± 11.5; and, for the five months after donning the button, the mean score
was 95.8 ± 5.9. These scores were marginally statistically different (p = 0.07). Conversely, the difference
in mean scores over the same time periods for two other inpatient
physiatrists who did not wear the button did not approach statistical significance.
In conclusion, a wearable visual cue improved the PGPSS score specific to the
question the visual cue addressed.