Studies of patient satisfaction
| Study details and country | Design | Control | Intervention | Results |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dale et al23 England 1996 | Quasi-randomised Nurse triage—allocate patients to primary care or ED n=419, 3 h sessions (10:00–13:00; 14:00–17:00; 18:00–21:00) | n=2382 managed by ED SHO n=557 managed by ED registrars n=204 ED doctor sessions | n=1702 managed by sessional GPs n=215 GP sessions | No difference reported in satisfaction with assessment (p=0.73), treatment (p=0.7) or doctor's manner (p=0.6) Slight, non-significant differences between the types of doctor (ED or GP) in the reported levels of dissatisfaction (‘dissatisfied’ or ‘very dissatisfied)’, (p=0.1 1) |
| Jiménez et al18 Spain 2005 | Prospective Before and after study Adult and paediatric low-acuity patients triaged to fast-track area | N=100 resident physicians, 08:00–24:00 | N=100 GP resident in fast-track area for 8 h 16:00–24:00 | Reported an index of satisfaction as a function of perceived care quality and WT No difference reported (10% change between control and intervention) (–34 to 54) |
| Chalder et al26 England 2007 | Controlled mixed-methods Cross-sectional survey questionnaire N=704 | 8 ‘traditional’ EDs (39.7% of respondents) | Patients attending 8 EDs with co-located walk-in centres (32.9% of respondents) | High percentage of patients expressing a preference for care in an established ED compared with that in a new walk-in centre facility No difference in satisfaction between control and intervention Re-coded dissatisfaction scores suggested patients were more dissatisfied by ED in relation to visit duration, cleanliness of the facility, time given to discuss healthcare problems, involvement in decision-making, discussion of fears and anxieties and privacy during the consultation |
| Kool et al8 Netherlands 2008 | Controlled before and after | Traditional primary and emergency care | IEP Integrated primary and emergency care Triage/telephone triage according to protocol by GP assistant. Allocated patients to: ED doctor, GP or nurse specialist | No difference in satisfaction with accessibility, WT, reception, information and communication, autonomy, discharge and aftercare, interpretation of the question, treatment Significant staff dissatisfaction with IEP for autonomy, social climate, being informed, culture, use of personal capabilities/skills (p<0.05) |
| Boeke et al19 Netherlands 2010 | Before and after evaluation Self-referrers who attended the ED on weekdays during the day (10:00–17:00) | Control n=832 | Allocated to GP N=695 | Patient satisfaction in the new care period (GP) was significantly higher than in the usual care (ED) period (mean difference 0.4, 95% CI 0.3 to 0.6) No difference in access; 0.07 (95% CI −0.12 to 0.27) |
GP, general practitioner; IEP, integrated emergency posts; SHO, senior house officer; WT, waiting time.