Improving patient satisfaction with time spent in an orthopedic outpatient clinic.
OBJECTIVE
To determine if patient satisfaction can be improved by changing patients' expectations of the clinic visit and by decreasing the total time spent in the clinic.


METHODS
A prospective comparative analysis carried out in 4 phases.


METHODS
An university-affiliated orthopedic outpatient clinic.


METHODS
All patients seen in the orthopedic outpatient clinic were eligible. Phase 1 determined the total clinic time required by patient type; phase 2 assessed baseline satisfaction; phase 3 altered patients' expectations; and phase 4 altered patients' expectations and scheduled visits by patient type.


METHODS
Patient questionnaires.


METHODS
Patient satisfaction with time spent in the clinic.


RESULTS
Of 708 distributed questionnaires, 622 (88%) were completed (547 totally complete, 75 partially complete). Total time spent in the clinic decreased across phases 2, 3 and 4 (mean 99.2, 94.7 and 85.2 minutes, respectively, but was significantly different only between phases 3 and 4; p = 0.05, Duncan's multiple range test). The percentage of patients who rated their waiting time as "excellent" increased across phases 2, 3 and 4 (14.6%, 18.8% and 31.1%, respectively; p = 0.0004, chi 2 test).


CONCLUSIONS
Patient satisfaction can be improved by altering patient expectations and by decreasing the total time spent in clinic.
Levesque
J
J
University of Toronto, Hospital for Sick Children, 555 University Ave., Toronto, ON M5G 1X8.
Bogoch
E R
ER
Cooney
B
B
Johnston
B
B
Wright
J G
JG
D005260:Female; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D006302:Health Services Research; D006769:Hospitals, General; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009140:Musculoskeletal Diseases / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D009864:Ontario; D009985:Orthopedics / Q000592:standards*; D010044:Outpatient Clinics, Hospital / Q000592:standards*; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors