Factors Associated with Patient Evaluation of Health Care

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to study the relationships among patient characteristics, characteristics of a health care encounter, and patients' evaluation of that encounter. On the basis of 1739 patient-provider encounters in eleven ambulatory care settings, three relatively independent correlates of patient satisfaction were found: age; community satisfaction; and the nature and degree of continuity of care which characterized the visit. Patients' sex, marital status, religion, and the number and kind of services provided were not related to the evaluations patients made. Greatest differences in patient satisfaction were from setting to setting, and these differences probably can be attributed to the types of patients which they recruit or service (i.e., age, level of community satisfaction) and setting policy and procedures regarding continuity of care.

Patient Satisfaction in Prosthetic Rehabilitation Programme

“…Hulka et al [7] and Zastowny et al [8] reported positive relationship between educational attainment and patient satisfaction, while others have reported it to be lower among more highly educated [9,10].…”

Patient Perceptions of Quality: The Influence of Value and Beneficence

“…Patient satisfaction as a measure of quality has also been explored and reported in the literature (Linn, 1975;Raatikainen, 1991;von Essen & Sjoden, 1992;Laferriere, 1993). Donabedian (1982) defines medical care quality in terms of outcomes associated with the care received.…”

“…In spite of the fact that many social scientists and most physicians have questioned the validity and significance of evaluations patients make of their medical experiences, several research studies have demonstrated their importance (Linn, 1975;Becker & Maiman, 1975).…”

“…Patient satisfaction has been studied widely in hospitals, physician offices, and clinics (Linn, 1975). But, as Larrabee (1992) found, the predominant categories studied are interpersonal care, provision of information, communication, living arrangements, or the amenities.…”

“…The humanitarian reason is that providers have a social obligation to promote well-being or provide benefits to recipients of health care (Larrabee, 1992). The economic reasons are that patients with high perceptions of quality are less likely to sue (Lalonde, 1988) and are more likely to recommend and return for services (Linn, 1975;Raatikainen, 1991) than those with low perceptions of quality. With health care reform imminent, 1 budget constraints, and increased competition for consumers, providers must aggressively pursue quality improvements that influence patient perceptions of quality.…”