title: Patient satisfaction with bronchoscopy.
abstract: We conducted a cohort study to characterize patient satisfaction with flexible bronchoscopy (FB) and to determine patient characteristics, care factors, and patient evaluations of bronchoscopy that are associated with a patient's willingness to return for repeat FB. Physicians and patients completed surveys between February 1997 and June 1998. Data from 481 patients were analyzed. Over 80% of the patients rated physicians as very good or excellent, but they were least satisfied with the information that they were provided about FB, waiting time before and after FB, and the FB environment. Seventy-one percent of the patients would definitely return, and 22% would probably return for a repeat FB. Better health status (odds ratio [OR] 1.4; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.1-1.7), not being bothered by scope insertion (OR 2.0; 95% CI, 1.2-3.3), better rating of information quality (OR 1.2; 95% CI, 1.0-1.3), and better rating of physician quality (OR 1.1; 95% CI, 1.0-1.2) were associated with patients reporting that they would definitely return for a repeat FB. Although patient satisfaction with providers is high, there are specific patient and process of care factors that should be improved. Sicker patients may be at a risk of dissatisfaction with FB. Process of care measures that could improve satisfaction with FB include providing better information to patients and optimizing the experience of bronchoscope insertion.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, School of Medicine, Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA. nlechtz@mail.jhmi.edu
authors.forename: Noah
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lechtzin
authors.forename: Haya R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Rubin
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: White
authors.forename: Mollie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jenckes
authors.forename: Gregory B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Diette
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018893:Bronchoalveolar Lavage / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001999:Bronchoscopy; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016013:Likelihood Functions; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011787:Quality of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014836:Volition / Q000502:physiology