Patient satisfaction in emergency medicine
Open Access
- 1 September 2004
- journal article
- review article
- Published by BMJ in Emergency Medicine Journal
- Vol. 21 (5), 528-532
- https://doi.org/10.1136/emj.2002.003723
Abstract
A systematic review was undertaken to identify published evidence relating to patient satisfaction in emergency medicine. Reviewed papers were divided into those that identified the factors influencing overall satisfaction in emergency department patients, and those in which a specific intervention was evaluated. Patient age and race influenced satisfaction in some, but not all, studies. Triage category was strongly correlated with satisfaction, but this also relates to waiting time. The three most frequently identified service factors were: interpersonal skills/staff attitudes; provision of information/explanation; perceived waiting times. Seven controlled intervention studies were found. These suggested that increased information on ED arrival, and training courses designed to improve staff attitudes and communication, are capable of improving patient satisfaction. None of the intervention studies looked specifically at the effect of reducing the perceived waiting time. Key interventions to improve patient satisfaction will be those that develop the interpersonal and attitudinal skills of staff, increase the information provided, and reduce the perceived waiting time. Future research should use a mixture of quantitative and qualitative methods to evaluate specific interventions.Keywords
This publication has 29 references indexed in Scilit:
- Determinants of patient satisfaction in a large, municipal ED: The role of demographic variables, visit characteristics, and patient perceptionsThe American Journal of Emergency Medicine, 2000
- Emergency department information: does it effect patientsʼ perception and satisfaction about the care given in an emergency department?European Journal of Emergency Medicine, 1999
- Effects of Actual Waiting Time, Perceived Waiting Time, Information Delivery, and Expressive Quality on Patient Satisfaction in the Emergency DepartmentAnnals of Emergency Medicine, 1996
- Clinic Follow-up From the Emergency Department: Do Patients Show Up?Annals of Emergency Medicine, 1996
- Patient Noncompliance With Medical Advice After the Emergency Department VisitAnnals of Emergency Medicine, 1996
- Patients' experiences of emergency admission: how elevant is the British government's Patients Charter?Journal of Advanced Nursing, 1994
- Emergency department satisfaction: What matters most?Annals of Emergency Medicine, 1993
- Effect of emergency department information on patient satisfactionAnnals of Emergency Medicine, 1993
- Patient satisfaction with care in the emergency departmentJournal of Advanced Nursing, 1992
- Patients' perceptions of the health care received in an emergency departmentAnnals of Emergency Medicine, 1991