In
the health care industry, one of the major indicators of quality in health care delivery
focuses on consumer satisfaction. This is prevalent in many nations, not just
the United States. Under recent health care reform, patient satisfaction has been
identified as an important measure of value-based care, the management strategy
that focuses on cost, quality, and outcomes. With
that said, what factors impact consumer satisfaction? The answer to this
question can greatly aid researchers and policy makers in their continued quest for health
care reform.
In order to address this issue, the authors conducted a detailed analysis of independent variables that could possibly be associated with greater consumer satisfaction. The variables that were measured related to treatment issues, financial issues, family-related issues, sources of health care information, physical location, and demographic-related factors. The data were collected from the 2010 Health Tracking Household Survey, and results indicate that satisfaction with primary care physicians, health insurance, and general health status are the three most significant determinants of consumer satisfaction.
Satisfaction with primary care physicians (PCPs) was identified as the key determinant of consumer satisfaction. This raises important questions. PCPs are generally a point of first contact for patients engaging in the health care delivery system; however, experts predict a severe shortage of PCPs, especially in the wake of expanded insurance coverage following the Affordable Care Act. How will this shortage impact consumer satisfaction in the future? What might be effective strategies to increase the supply of PCPs in the U.S. and ensure they can provide outstanding care that satisfies patients? Would non-physician providers, such as physician assistants or nurse practitioners, be able to help fill the shortage in the supply of primary care providers, as is a current topic of intense debate? Are they equipped to function in such a role, or is that an inappropriate response to the issues and needs that must be addressed?
Second, health insurance also served as a significant factor impacting overall consumer satisfaction, with the uninsured showing the lowest satisfaction rates. The authors suggest this may be due in part to the tendencies of uninsured patients to forego or postpone needed care as well as their limited connection with PCPs given a lack of insurance coverage. Additional significant determinants of consumer satisfaction identified by the authors included a patient's general health status, the promptness of their visit to a physician when ill, their family medical costs, family income, and family size, their efforts to seek out medical information from friends, and the patient's age. The authors suggest several of these determinants point to the importance of managing expectations and helping address patients' unrealistic expectations. Although there are several limitations, this study can serve as a basis for policy makers and researchers to understand the needs of the most important stakeholder in the health care system: the patient.
What do you think: how can policy help improve the health care experience for patients, and how do you see health care organizations at work to address and improve patient satisfaction?
Article
Citation
Deshpande,
S. & Deshpande, S. (2014). "Factors Influencing Consumer Satisfaction
with Health Care" The Health Care Manager, 33 (3),
261-266.
