Analysis of Wait Times and Impact of Real-Time Surveys on Patient Satisfaction

BACKGROUND: Increasing emphasis is being placed on patient satisfaction, which is linked to reimbursement rates. The Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) is a national, standardized survey used to assess patient satisfaction. Its limitations include the length of the survey, delay in administration, and generalization to all specialties. Ideal patient satisfaction surveys should collect information in a way that allows for corrective action in a timely manner. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate patient dissatisfaction with wait time using a short, in-office, real-time survey. METHODS: A cross-sectional study in which patients from one provider's office completed a real-time survey. These results were compared with the CAHPS survey data of the same time period. RESULTS: Seven hundred fifty-six patients were seen and 251 surveys were collected. The real-time survey response rate was 33% compared with 9% for the CAHPS survey. Overall, 95.74% of patients who completed the real-time survey were satisfied with their wait times and the duration of their visit, versus 84.2% from the CAHPS survey. CONCLUSION: Implementation of a short in-office survey immediately after patient care can provide better feedback that can be used to ensure that improvement measures are aimed at making significant strides in improving overall health outcomes for patients.

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