OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was 2-fold: (1) to identify particular opportunities for improvement in patient-centered care of heart failure patients and (2) to suggest strategies for service quality improvement focusing on those areas. SAMPLE: A national cross-sectional sample of survey data from diagnostic-related group 127 patients was collected between December 1, 2001, and November 30, 2003. Data were split into two 12-month samples to compare results over time. The 2002 sample included 5224 patients treated at 220 hospitals; the 2003 sample included 6531 patients treated at 269 hospitals. METHOD: A standardized mail-out/mail-back methodology was used to collect data from random samples of patients within 5 days of discharge. RESULTS: For both samples, the ranking of service issues was highly similar, with the same 4 areas emerging as the foremost priorities: patient involvement in decision making, staff response to concerns voiced during the hospital stay, staff sensitivity to the inconvenience of heart failure and hospitalization, and emotional/spiritual support. Improvement in these 4 service areas should be associated with the greatest increases in patient satisfaction and quality of care for heart failure patients. CONCLUSIONS: Adequately addressing these patient needs should increase patient satisfaction and quality of care for heart failure patients.
OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was 2-fold: (1) to identify particular opportunities for improvement in patient-centered care of heart failurepatients and (2) to suggest strategies for service quality improvement focusing on those areas. SAMPLE: A national cross-sectional sample of survey data from diagnostic-related group 127 patients was collected between December 1, 2001, and November 30, 2003. Data were split into two 12-month samples to compare results over time. The 2002 sample included 5224 patients treated at 220 hospitals; the 2003 sample included 6531 patients treated at 269 hospitals. METHOD: A standardized mail-out/mail-back methodology was used to collect data from random samples of patients within 5 days of discharge. RESULTS: For both samples, the ranking of service issues was highly similar, with the same 4 areas emerging as the foremost priorities: patient involvement in decision making, staff response to concerns voiced during the hospital stay, staff sensitivity to the inconvenience of heart failure and hospitalization, and emotional/spiritual support. Improvement in these 4 service areas should be associated with the greatest increases in patient satisfaction and quality of care for heart failurepatients. CONCLUSIONS: Adequately addressing these patient needs should increase patient satisfaction and quality of care for heart failurepatients.
Authors: Stephen Aragon; Sabrina S Vereen; Deborah E Slazyk; Tyrel J Hooker; Laura J McGuinn; Sabina B Gesell Journal: J Best Pract Health Prof Divers Date: 2012