Author: Dylan Luyten, MD

Educational Pearls:

• Actual wait times are weakly correlated to patient satisfaction but the difference between perceived/expected wait times and actual wait times is strongly correlated
• Having others in the room or with the patient while they wait also has a positive effect
• Under-promising and over-delivering can result in better patient experience
• Managing up others and services provided also is demonstrated to improve satisfaction
• Perceived time with health care members (physicians, APPs, nurses, etc) also is supported to improve satisfaction
• Sitting with patients increases the perception of time

References

Trout A, Magnusson AR, Hedges JR. Patient satisfaction investigations and the emergency department: what does the literature say?. Acad Emerg Med. 2000 Jun;7(6):695-709. Review. PubMed PMID: 10905652.

Sonis JD, Aaronson EL, Lee RY, Philpotts LL, White BA. Emergency Department Patient Experience: A Systematic Review of the Literature. J Patient Exp. 2017;5(2):101–106. doi:10.1177/2374373517731359

Summarized by Will Dewispelaere, MS3 | Edited by Erik Verzemnieks, MD