Re: Patients Willing to Wait: Arrival Time, Wait Time and Patient Satisfaction in an Ambulatory Urology Clinic: R. Donahue, D. Russell, C. de Riese, C. Smith, W. T. W. de Riese and A. Medway Urol Pract 2017; 4: 1-6.

摘要

To the Editor The authors have addressed an important but often overlooked component of health care, that of the patient experience with their care. The notion that the patient experience (as defined by patient satisfaction and outcomes) was a critical component of health care delivery was codified by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement in their definition of the "Triple Aim." The Triple Aim has become the core of U.S. health policy and is being widely adopted by third party payers as well. As such, the focus on the patient experience can only be expected to increase. Most studies regarding patient satisfaction are related to primary care or emergency services. Most articles regarding specialty services, particularly in urology, are related to satisfaction regarding specific procedures. These studies led to the notion that a variety of nonclinical parameters are the principal drivers of patient satisfaction with their health care. This article echoes the findings in our review of nearly 59,000 patient satisfaction surveys in that the waiting time to see the physician was not the most critical determinant of patient satisfaction. In fact, parameters related to the interpersonal interaction between the physician and patient were much stronger determinants of patient satisfaction than logistical parameters related to the office or contact with medical support staff.