Patient satisfaction with sedation for flexible bronchoscopy.
OBJECTIVE
Patient satisfaction with health care has increasingly been recognized as an important health outcome, but few studies have examined patient satisfaction with flexible bronchoscopy (FB). The purpose of this study was to assess patient satisfaction with FB conducted under conscious sedation and to identify the aspects of the procedure related to patient satisfaction.


METHODS
Patients' willingness to return for repeat FB was measured on a 5-point scale. Patients were asked whether they were bothered by the anaesthetic spray, scope insertion, shortness of breath, coughing, pharyngeal pain, chest pain or swallowing pain. Patients were asked to assess the quality of the physician, the institution and nursing, and their satisfaction with the privacy, waiting time and information provided about the procedure.


RESULTS
Of 161 consecutive eligible patients who underwent FB, 129 (80.1%) completed the questionnaire. Of the 129 patients, 65.8% reported that they would return for a repeat FB (12.4% would definitely return and 53.4% would probably return). Male gender, shorter examination time, excellent physician quality and not being bothered by coughing, pharyngeal pain or swallowing pain were related to greater patient satisfaction. The results of multiple logistic regression analysis showed that male gender was related to greater patient satisfaction.


CONCLUSIONS
Bronchoscopists should try to recognize the factors that influence patient satisfaction and adjust their management accordingly.
The First Department of Internal Medicine, Showa University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan. thirose-shw@umin.ac.jp
Takashi
T
Hirose
Kentaro
K
Okuda
Hiroo
H
Ishida
Tomohide
T
Sugiyama
Sojiro
S
Kusumoto
Masanao
M
Nakashima
Toshimitsu
T
Yamaoka
Mitsuru
M
Adachi
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001999:Bronchoscopy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D002637:Chest Pain / Q000209:etiology; D016292:Procedural Sedation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D003371:Cough / Q000209:etiology; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011446:Prospective Studies