Positive Impact on Patient Satisfaction and Caregiver Identification Using Team Facecards: A Quality Improvement Study

Authors

Nicole M. Martin, Department of Internal Medicine, Aurora Sinai Medical CenterFollow
Khalil Odeh, Aurora Cardiovascular Services
Lamya Boujelbane, Department of Internal Medicine, Aurora University of Wisconsin Medical GroupFollow
Marvi V. Rijhwani, Department of Internal Medicine, Aurora Sinai Medical Center
Susan Olet, Aurora Research Institute
Aijaz Noor, Department of Internal Medicine, Aurora University of Wisconsin Medical Group
Colleen Nichols, Department of Internal Medicine, Aurora University of Wisconsin Medical Group
Richard Battiola, Department of Internal Medicine, Aurora University of Wisconsin Medical GroupFollow

Publication Date

11-6-2017

Keywords

patient satisfaction, provider identification, facecards, quality improvement

Abstract

Background: Patients satisfaction is an increasingly important metric in measuring the quality of care that hospitals and physicians provide. It can be difficult for patients to remember their providers and their roles, all of which may potentially impact a patient’s overall satisfaction.

Purpose: To see if giving facecards with pictures and names of caregivers and description of roles improved patient satisfaction and identification of care team members.

Methods: Team facecards were designed and distributed to the patients during the interventional period of the study. Patients’ identification of team members, the role of each physician and overall satisfaction was measured using a longitudinal prospective survey. Patients in the control arm of the study took the same survey but did not receive team facecards.

Results: A total of 192 patients completed the survey. They were divided into a control group (n = 96, 50%) and an interventional group (n = 96, 50%) during the period of the study (February 2016–August 2016). Patients who received the intervention were more likely to identify: their team attending (71 [74%] in the interventional group vs [34.4%] in the control group; P < 0.001); team resident (40 [40.7%] in the interventional group vs 25 [26%] in the control group; P = 0.0222); team intern (42 [43.8%] in the interventional group vs 19 [19.8%] in the control group; P = 0.0004). Patients in the interventional group reported slightly higher level of satisfaction (72 [75%] reported level of satisfaction > 9 on a scale of 1 to 10 in the interventional group vs 59 [61.5%] in the control group).

Conclusion: Use of facecards improves patient identification of primary team members and roles; however, patients still lack enough knowledge of provider roles. Use of facecards showed a slight improvement on overall patient satisfaction.

Recommended Citation

Martin NM, Odeh K, Boujelbane L, Rijhwani MV, Olet S, Noor A, Nichols C, Battiola R. Positive impact on patient satisfaction and caregiver identification using team facecards: a quality improvement study. J Patient Cent Res Rev. 2017;4:263.