A systematic scoping review of patient and caregiver self-report measures of satisfaction with clinicians' communication

Abstract

Objective: We conducted a systematic scoping review of self-report tools used to measure patient and/or caregiver satisfaction with clinician communication. Aims included identifying: 1) instruments that have been used to measure communication satisfaction, and 2) content of the communication items on measures.

Methods: Two databases (PubMed and CINAHL) were searched for relevant studies. Eligibility included patient or caregiver self-report tools assessing satisfaction with clinicians' communication in a biomedical healthcare setting; and the stated purpose for using the measurement involved evaluating communication satisfaction and measures included more than one question about this. All data were charted in a form created by the authors.

Results: Our search yielded a total of 4531 results screened as title and abstracts; 228 studies were screened in full text and 85 studies were included in the review. We found 53 different tools used to measure communication satisfaction among those 85 studies, including 29 previously used measures (e.g., FS-ICU-24, CAHPS), and 24 original measures developed by authors. Content of communication satisfaction items included satisfaction with content-specific communication, interpersonal communication skills of clinicians, communicating to set the right environment, and global communication satisfaction items.

Conclusion: There was high variability in the number of items and types of content on measures. Communication satisfaction should be better conceptualized to improve measurement, and more robust measures should be created to capture complex factors of communication satisfaction.

Practice implications: Creating a rigorous evaluation of satisfaction with clinician communication may help strengthen communication research and the assessment of communication interventions.

Keywords: Measurement; Patient satisfaction; Provider-patient communication; Systematic review.