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ABSTRACT
Patient satisfaction relates to the experience of care versus actual treatment. While there is limited consensus on the methods of measure of patient satisfaction in healthcare, it has long been a critical factor in healthcare. Healthcare organizations have financial incentives tied to patient satisfaction through the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey. Patient satisfaction is an important factor in the measurement of healthcare quality. Various factors influence patient satisfaction including communication and use of evidence-based practice (EBP). As patients transit care processes, they receive information from multiple healthcare professionals, e.g. physicians and nurses. Effective communication between physicians, nurses, and patients may enhance patient satisfaction. Nurses who use EBP can positively impact patients' perception of their hospital stay. This paper will share insights into how EBP in nursing can improve patient satisfaction by focusing on effective communication between the nurse and patient.
Key words: Evidence Based, Patient Satisfaction, HCAPS, Healthcare, Quality
INTRODUCTION
Improving patient satisfaction continues to be a priority for all healthcare organizations. Patients' opinions are becoming more critical in the improvement of healthcare delivery. Enhancing the patient experience to improve patient satisfaction while improving the patient's quality of care is a challenge for a healthcare organization. Ineffective communication is the key component associated with dissatisfaction among patients with a healthcare organization. Currently, many healthcare organizations seek to improve patient satisfaction by assessing their HCAHPS, Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS), and Press Ganey survey scores. HCAHPS and CAHPS are publicly reported and are used to measure patient experience.
In contrast, healthcare organizations use Press Ganey patient feedback scores internally to determine areas where the patient experience needs improvement. Many healthcare organizations post their Press Ganey surveys on their websites so that patients can choose potential healthcare providers.
There are many challenges in enhancing a patient's experience within a healthcare organization while continuously improving the quality of care. Some challenges are nurses being resistant to changes, lack of knowledge and understanding on using EBP. However, the guidance of leadership and engaging nurses through shared governance will help a healthcare organization change the workplace culture.
Using EBP among nurses is one way to improve patient satisfaction in a healthcare organization. EBP describes a problem-solving method for delivering healthcare...