title: Improving patient satisfaction with time spent in an orthopedic outpatient clinic.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: University of Toronto, Hospital for Sick Children, 555 University Ave., Toronto, ON M5G 1X8.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Levesque
authors.forename: E R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Bogoch
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cooney
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Johnston
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Wright
mesh_terms: 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