As hospitals increasingly implement novel designs geared towards patient satisfaction and improved care, further research into the details of patient satisfaction levels is needed. By understanding patient perceptions of these new, patient-centered built environments and the care provided within them, healthcare providers and designers could more accurately project which design decisions will provide improved levels of patient satisfaction within a variety of contexts.
To describe changes in patient satisfaction with clinical services following a move to a new building featuring patient-centered designs.
Before and after the move to the new clinic, patients receiving treatment in clinics that were scheduled for a move into the newly designed building and patients in clinics that were not scheduled to move completed surveys concerning their overall satisfaction with treatment processes. Patient-centered design features in the new building included: healing gardens, expanded lobbies, more than 500 pieces of artwork, improved lighting, sleeping accommodations for family members, soundproofing, interactive entertainment systems, and a nurse-calling system. Baseline data on patient satisfaction in both the new and old clinics were gathered over a 12-month period, along with additional follow-up surveys from a 7.5-month period for sensitivity analysis.
Patient satisfaction improved in several facility-related categories, including pleasantness of décor (33.6% satisfied prior to the move, versus 66.2% satisfied after the move), noise levels (33.9% versus 59.3%), room cleanliness (49% versus 68.6%), and accommodations for visitors (50% versus 70.3%). Staff attitude towards visitors also received improved satisfaction ratings (68.1% versus 79.4%). The researchers suggest that these findings show how widespread improvements in patient satisfaction don’t rely on patient-centered designs alone, but also on staff members who provide personalized care.
This was a retrospective study that used patient-submitted survey data to draw conclusions regarding overall levels of satisfaction; beyond the two surveys, no additional quantitative or qualitative data were gathered. The authors note that the study was done in a single inner-city academic center, and that patient satisfaction may depend on other factors within different settings.