Abstract
Background: Patient satisfaction is a critical indicator of the quality of healthcare services. The National Health Service face challenges with waiting times and backlogs. Echocardiography plays a pivotal role in the management of cardiac conditions. Understanding patient experience is essential in improving patient-centred care. This cross-sectional study assessed the degree of patient satisfaction and its relationship with modifiable and non-modifiable factors.
Method: Patients (n = 54) attending a busy district general hospital for their first echocardiogram were recruited. They were asked to complete a survey which included variables relevant to patient satisfaction (e.g., demographics, self-perceived health, discomfort during the echocardiogram, expectation regarding healthcare services, physical environment, clinical competence, accessibility and waiting time). Descriptive statistics and linear regression analysis was performed to assess the associations between these factors and overall patient satisfaction.
Results: Patients reported high satisfaction for the following: overall experience of having an echocardiogram; sonographers interpersonal care/communication, information provision, clinical competence; accessibility and waiting time on the day. Moderate satisfactions were reported for the physical environment of the hospital. Two modifiable factors and two non-modifiable factors were found to be associated with overall satisfaction towards echocardiography. These were interpersonal communication, information provision, self-perceived health and discomfort.
Conclusion: Overall, generally patients were satisfied with their experience. Understanding modifiable and non-modifiable factors for individual centres may help to enhance patients’ experience and healthcare quality.
Method: Patients (n = 54) attending a busy district general hospital for their first echocardiogram were recruited. They were asked to complete a survey which included variables relevant to patient satisfaction (e.g., demographics, self-perceived health, discomfort during the echocardiogram, expectation regarding healthcare services, physical environment, clinical competence, accessibility and waiting time). Descriptive statistics and linear regression analysis was performed to assess the associations between these factors and overall patient satisfaction.
Results: Patients reported high satisfaction for the following: overall experience of having an echocardiogram; sonographers interpersonal care/communication, information provision, clinical competence; accessibility and waiting time on the day. Moderate satisfactions were reported for the physical environment of the hospital. Two modifiable factors and two non-modifiable factors were found to be associated with overall satisfaction towards echocardiography. These were interpersonal communication, information provision, self-perceived health and discomfort.
Conclusion: Overall, generally patients were satisfied with their experience. Understanding modifiable and non-modifiable factors for individual centres may help to enhance patients’ experience and healthcare quality.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 18 |
| Pages (from-to) | 8 |
| Number of pages | 1 |
| Journal | Echo Research and Practice |
| Volume | 11 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 4 Jul 2024 |