Patient Satisfaction in Spine Surgery: A Systematic Review of the Literature

Abstract

Patient satisfaction reflects the patients’ perception of the outcome of care and is being considered for use in future reimbursement schemes. No consensus exists regarding the best instrument to measure patient satisfaction in the field of spine surgery. This systematic review aimed to determine how patient satisfaction for spine surgery has been measured previously and whether a disease-specific, comprehensive instrument to measure patient satisfaction has been established; we also aimed to define the dimensions of care that determine patient satisfaction in spine surgery. A systematic search of three online databases, unpublished sources, and citations was undertaken to identify 156 empirical studies that reported on patient satisfaction in the field of spine surgery. Manuscripts were reviewed in terms of the patient satisfaction instrument used, and the instruments were categorized as per content and method axes. Taxonomy of patient satisfaction with spine surgery identified the major characteristics of providers and medical care that influenced patient satisfaction and acted as a structure to categorically define the dimensions of patient satisfaction in spine surgery. The reviewed studies predominantly used global (108/156) rather than multidimensional (46/156), instruments. Most studies (96.2%) reported satisfaction with outcome rather than with care, and only 18.5% of the studies (29/156) utilized a disease-specific instrument. The following seven dimensions of patient status, outcome, and care experience that affected patient satisfaction were identified: pain, function, patient expectations/preference, specific patient health characteristics, caregiver interpersonal manner, efficacy/clinical outcomes, and postoperative care/therapy. Currently, no disease-specific instrument that includes all dimensions of patient satisfaction in spine surgery has been developed. Such a patient satisfaction instrument should be designed, tested for reliability and validity, and widely implemented.

Predictors of Patient Satisfaction in Spine Surgery: A Systematic Review

“…To our knowledge, this is the first study to systematically review the available literature pertaining to spine surgery patient satisfaction as evaluated through the two most administered patient satisfaction surveys-Press Ganey and HCAHPS. Though two previous reviews have broadly reported on this topic, 13,14 this manuscript presents a comprehensive review and analysis of the two most widely utilized patient satisfaction surveys in order to identify factors most J o u r n a l P r e -p r o o f 7 predictive of patient satisfaction following spine surgery. These relatively subjective measures used to quantify patient satisfaction are increasingly being utilized in hospital systems year over year.…”

Patient-Reported Expectations, Outcome and Satisfaction in Thoracic and Lumbar Spine Stabilization Surgery: A Prospective Study

“…It has been suggested that health outcomes should cover the full cycle of care and track the patient's health status after care is completed [25]. In spinal surgery, specific PROMs (e.g., of pain, such as the VAS, and of disability, such as the ODI), as well as more general PROMs such as patient satisfaction with the outcome, have been the subject of numerous studies [2,[5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20]26,27]. We prospectively investigated patient-reported pain and disability levels and satisfaction in patients undergoing stabilization surgery of the thoracic and/or lumbar spine for degenerative disease, tumors, infection and traumatic or osteoporotic fractures.…”

“…Moreover, one has to identify the factors that drive patient satisfaction first in order to improve it. It is unclear, for example, to what extent pain relief and disability improvement contribute to satisfaction after spinal surgery [2]. Psychological factors may play a role as well.…”

Anesthesia For Endoscopic Spine Surgery Of The Spine In An Ambulatory Surgery Center

“…Complications with the endoscopic spinal decompression procedure requiring additional aggressive aftercare are exceedingly uncommon [57,82]. These favorable clinical outcomes assessments provided by patients were found to be reflective of their experience with anesthesia at the ASC [83]. The anesthesia requirements may vary by anterior or posterior approach, the conjunctive use of local anesthesia by the surgeon, and the surgeon's preference as to whether communication with the patient during surgery is desired.…”