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Is Patients' Perception of Time Spent With the Physician a Determinant of Ambulatory Patient Satisfaction?
Chen-Tan Lin, MD;
Gail A. Albertson, MD;
Lisa M. Schilling, MD;
Elizabeth M. Cyran, MD;
Susan N. Anderson, BS;
Lindsay Ware, BA;
Robert J. Anderson, MD
Arch Intern Med. 2001;161:1437-1442.
Background Time management in ambulatory patient visits is increasingly critical.
Do patients who perceive a longer visit with internists report increased satisfaction?
Methods Prospective survey of 1486 consecutively encountered ambulatory visits
to 16 primary care physicians (PCPs) in an academic primary care clinic. Patients
were queried regarding demographics, health status, perception of time spent
before and after ambulatory visits, whether the physician appeared rushed,
and visit satisfaction. Physicians were queried regarding time spent, estimated
patient satisfaction, and whether they felt rushed.
Results In 69% of 1486 consecutive visits, patient previsit expectation of visit
duration was 20 minutes or less. Patient and PCP postvisit estimates of time
spent significantly exceeded patient previsit time expectation. Patients who
estimated that they spent more time than expected with the PCP were significantly
more satisfied with the visit. When patient postvisit estimate of time spent
was less than the previsit expectation, visit satisfaction was significantly
lower independent of time spent. Patient worry about health and lower self-perceived
health status were significantly associated with patient expectation for longer
visits. Primary care physicians felt rushed in 10% of encounters. Although
PCPs estimated patient satisfaction was significantly lower when they felt
rushed, patient satisfaction was identical when PCPs did and did not feel
rushed. Patients indicated that PCPs appeared rushed in 3% of encounters,
but this perception did not affect patient satisfaction.
Conclusion Perceived ambulatory visit duration and meeting or exceeding patient
expectation of time needed to be spent with the physician are determinants
of patient satisfaction in an ambulatory internal medicine practice.
From the Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine,
University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver.
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