Most patients who gave their healthcare providers low scores after an encounter did so because of perceived bad service, not poor medical care, according to a new study published in the Journal of Medical Practice Management. In fact, 96% of complaints in an analysis of 35,000 online reviews were related mainly to communication and wait times. Just 1 in 25 patients who gave their provider one or two stars (on a five-star scale) said they were unhappy with their exam, diagnosis, treatment, surgery, or outcome. Lead author Ron Harman King crystalized the findings by saying “the waiting room trumps the exam room” when it comes to keeping patients happy (and, ostensibly, coming back for more). The data amount to more proof that patients will be drawn to urgent care because of its efficiency in getting patients in and out the door.
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New Patient Satisfaction Data Highlight Need for Timely Care