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Hitawala A, Flores M, Alomari M, et al. Improving Physician-patient and Physician-nurse Communication and Overall Satisfaction Rates: A Quality Improvement Project. Cureus. 2020;12(4):e7776doi: 10.7759/cureus.7776.
Hitawala, A., Flores, M., Alomari, M., Kumar, S., Padbidri, V., Muthukuru, S., Rahman, S., Alomari, A., Khazaaleh, S., Gopalakrishna, K. V., & Michael, M. (2020). Improving Physician-patient and Physician-nurse Communication and Overall Satisfaction Rates: A Quality Improvement Project. Cureus, 12(4), e7776. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.7776
Hitawala, Asif, et al. "Improving Physician-patient and Physician-nurse Communication and Overall Satisfaction Rates: A Quality Improvement Project." Cureus vol. 12,4 (2020): e7776. doi: https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.7776
Hitawala A, Flores M, Alomari M, Kumar S, Padbidri V, Muthukuru S, Rahman S, Alomari A, Khazaaleh S, Gopalakrishna KV, Michael M. Improving Physician-patient and Physician-nurse Communication and Overall Satisfaction Rates: A Quality Improvement Project. Cureus. 2020 Apr 22;12(4):e7776. doi: 10.7759/cureus.7776. PMID: 32461851; PMCID: PMC7243623.
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Cureus. 2020 Apr 22;12(4):e7776. doi: 10.7759/cureus.7776.

Improving Physician-patient and Physician-nurse Communication and Overall Satisfaction Rates: A Quality Improvement Project.

Cureus

Asif Hitawala, Monica Flores, Mohammad Alomari, Sany Kumar, Vinay Padbidri, Sujit Muthukuru, Shafia Rahman, Ahmed Alomari, Shrouq Khazaaleh, K V Gopalakrishna, Madonna Michael

Affiliations

  1. Internal Medicine, Cleveland Clinic - Fairview Hospital, Cleveland, USA.
  2. Internal Medicine, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, USA.
  3. Internal Medicine, Kettering Medical Center, Dayton, USA.
  4. Hematology and Medical Oncology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, USA.
  5. Internal Medicine, The Hashemite University, Zarqa, JOR.

PMID: 32461851 PMCID: PMC7243623 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.7776

Abstract

Introduction Communication between healthcare providers and patients is a key component associated with the quality of healthcare and patient satisfaction. Often, simple communication skills may be insufficient to sustain a successful provider-patient relationship. The aim of this project was to assess and improve patient and nurse satisfaction with physicians via improvement in physician-patient and physician-nurse communication to a level greater than 90%. Methods Initial surveys were given to the patients and nurses on admission to the regular nursing floor to assess current satisfaction rates. Afterward, visual handouts were given that provided details about the current medical team members and the role of each team member. which were updated daily along with the medical plan. Surveys were then handed out to the patients and their nurses at the time of discharge. All surveys were conducted anonymously. Results A total of 26 surveys (n = 13 patients, n = 13 nurses) were collected and analyzed for a preliminary assessment. Surveys concluded that 68.8% of patients were satisfied with the patient-provider communication; similarly, 74.4% of the nurses were satisfied with the nurse-provider communication. In the next six weeks, visual handouts were implemented. During this period, surveys involving a total of 40 patients and 40 nurses were collected. The results after the intervention revealed that 93.3% of patients were satisfied with the patient-provider communication, and 94.7% of nurses were satisfied with the nurse-provider communication. Post-intervention, the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) displayed an improvement in physician communication, reaching the expected goal of 84.4%. Conclusion Ineffective communication often goes undetected in many healthcare settings, causing serious effects on the health and safety of patients, and may ultimately jeopardize overall satisfaction. Literature has shown a positive correlation between patient satisfaction and improved clinical outcomes. Using visual aids and updating medical care plans on a daily basis are simple yet effective tools to improve communication. Written materials should be created in a patient-friendly manner to enhance communication, clarity, and understanding.

Copyright © 2020, Hitawala et al.

Keywords: communication; physician-nurse; physician-patient; quality improvement; satisfaction

Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

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