Patient satisfaction with hospitalists: facility-level analyses

Abstract

Despite concerns and disagreements about the impact of hospitalist models on health care, hospitalists are becoming the dominant means of providing inpatient care, and models continue to diversify. Understanding their impact and the factors that influence their adoption is essential. This study examined hospitalists' impact on patient satisfaction, considering a host of characteristics. Cross-sectional data received in calendar year 2008, aggregated to the facility level, represent 1777 hospitals (41% of which employed hospitalists) and 2 648 275 patients. Press Ganey's psychometrically sound inpatient satisfaction survey consists of 38 items (10 sections) rated on a 5-point Likert-type scale. Findings suggest that facilities with hospitalists may have an advantage regarding satisfaction with nursing and personal issues (eg, privacy, emotional needs, response to complaints), both of which may be related to broader communication issues. Moreover, teaching (overall satisfaction) and large facilities (satisfaction with admissions, nursing, and tests/treatments) might especially benefit from the presence of hospitalists. Exploring how specific hospitalist functions influence patient satisfaction may reap rewards.