THE USE OF PATIENT SATISFACTION DATA TO ASSESS THE IMPACT OF CONTINUOUS QUALITY IMPROVEMENT EFFORTS

Objective: To quantitatively compare patient satisfaction with the vis it to an academic otolaryngology office before and after quality impro vement efforts. Design: Survey research of convenience sample of new p atients. Setting: Outpatients offices of the Department of Otolaryngol ogy at Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Mo. Patient s: New patients seen between November 1993 and March 1994 (phase 1) an d November 1995 and February 1996 (phase 2). Intervention: Numerous de partmentwide quality improvements efforts were begun between phase 1 a nd phase 2. The Visit Rating Questionnaire, a 9-item patient-based que stionnaire, was used to measure patient satisfaction. Main Outcome Mea sure: The percentage of patients who rated their visit overall as exce llent. Results: Overall, 973 patients participated. The percentage of patients who rated their overall visit as excellent was 570 (58%) of 1 067, while if was 200 (41%) of 491 for phase 1 and 370 (64%) of 576 fo r phase 2 (chi(2)=63.8; P<.001). Using a process control chart for the percentage of patients who rated the visit as excellent demonstrated special cause variation, indicating that the continuous quality improv ement efforts had made an impact on patient satisfaction. Conclusions: The impact of continuous quality improvement efforts can be documente d with patient satisfaction measures. The techniques of statistical pr ocess control, including the use of control charts, can transform the data from these measures into information that allows for the evaluati on of the effectiveness of continuous quality improvement efforts.