Posted September 20, 2006
Patient Safety and Quality Healthcare: e-News
Younger Adult Patients Less Trusting of Physicians
As consumers, younger generations expect higher quality service than Baby Boomers, who in turn have greater expectations than their own parents. The health care industry is no longer immune from consumerism — the younger you are, the less likely you are to be satisfied with and have confidence in your doctor.
That's what more than 1.1 million patients reported in 2005 when surveyed by Press Ganey Associates, Inc., a leader in health care satisfaction measurement and improvement services. Baby Boomers and patients born before 1946 report higher satisfaction with their physician care than adults born after 1964.
The Press Ganey data show that 72% of adult patients born after 1964 expressed the highest level of confidence in their physicians. Satisfaction numbers rose to 77% for Baby Boomers (those born between 1946 and 1964) and 79% for patients born before 1946.
"Among the most consistent drivers of patient satisfaction in a doctor's office setting — across all age groups — are how much time physicians spend with their patients and how friendly and courteous they are," said Melvin F. Hall, Ph.D., president and chief executive officer of Press Ganey.
In fact, for most of those surveyed, a physician's bedside manner contributed significantly to establishing trust.
"It may seem like an oversimplified solution to improving patient satisfaction, but even a couple of minutes can make a significant difference in how patients view their experience," said Dr. Hall. "In addition, our data show that doctors who spend an average of three minutes longer with their patients — 18 minutes instead of 15 — can significantly decrease their chances of a malpractice lawsuit."
More information on Press Ganey research and data can be found at www.pressganey.com.
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