title: Patient-Reported Outcomes and Total Health Care Expenditure in Prediction of Patient Satisfaction: Results From a National Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Health care quality is often linked to patient satisfaction. Yet, there is a lack of national studies examining the relationship between patient satisfaction, patient-reported outcomes, and medical expenditure.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study is to examine the contribution of physical health, mental health, general health, and total health care expenditures to patient satisfaction using a longitudinal, nationally representative sample.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using data from the 2010-2011 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, analyses were conducted to predict patient satisfaction from patient-reported outcomes and total health care expenditures. The study sample consisted of adult participants (N=10,157), with sampling weights representative of 233.26 million people in the United States.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results indicated that patient-reported outcomes and total health care expenditure were associated with patient satisfaction such that higher physical and mental function, higher general health status, and higher total health care expenditure were associated with higher patient satisfaction.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We found that patient-reported outcomes and total health care expenditure had a significant relationship with patient satisfaction. As more emphasis is placed on health care value and quality, this area of research will become increasingly needed and critical questions should be asked about what we value in health care and whether we can find a balance between patient satisfaction, outcomes, and expenditures. Future research should apply big data analytics to investigate whether there is a differential effect of patient-reported outcomes and medical expenditures on patient satisfaction across different medical specialties.
authors.affiliation: Department of OrthopaedicsUniversity of UtahSalt Lake City, UTUnited States; Division of Public HealthUniversity of UtahSalt Lake City, UTUnited States; School of BusinessUniversity of UtahSalt Lake City, UTUnited States; School of MedicineUniversity of UtahSalt Lake City, UTUnited States; Division of EpidemiologyUniversity of UtahSalt Lake City, UTUnited States; College of EducationUniversity of UtahSalt Lake City, UTUnited States.
authors.forename: Man
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-2827-3740
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hung
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine University of Utah Salt Lake City, UT United States.
authors.forename: Weiping
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-8917-2084
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Division of Epidemiology University of Utah Salt Lake City, UT United States.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-2907-6354
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics University of Utah Salt Lake City, UT United States.
authors.forename: Jerry
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-6852-4650
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bounsanga
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics University of Utah Salt Lake City, UT United States.
authors.forename: Christine
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-5186-8155
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: College of Education University of Utah Salt Lake City, UT United States.
authors.forename: Jeremy D
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-4613-3629
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Franklin
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics University of Utah Salt Lake City, UT United States.
authors.forename: Anthony B
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-4832-2530
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Crum
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics University of Utah Salt Lake City, UT United States.
authors.forename: Maren W
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-9054-7389
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Voss
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics University of Utah Salt Lake City, UT United States.
authors.forename: Shirley D
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-0150-2753
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Hon
keywords: Affordable Care Act; Medical Expenditure Panel Survey; big data analytics; cost; expenditure; health care quality; medical outcomes; patient satisfaction; patient-reported outcomes; value