Online physician rating websites are increasingly used by patients to evaluate their doctors. The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate factors associated with better spine surgeon ratings.
METHODS
Orthopedic spine surgeons were randomly selected from the North American Spine Society directory utilizing a random number generator. Surgeon profiles on three physician rating websites, namely, www.HealthGrades.com, www.Vitals.com, and www.RateMDs.com, were analyzed to gather qualitative and quantitative data on patients’ perceptions of the surgeons. Independent variables from the websites were analyzed in relation to overall physician or patient satisfaction rating. Comments were coded by subject into following three categories: professional competence, bedside manner, and practice characteristics.
RESULTS
A total of 250 surgeons were evaluated, and 92% (n=230) of these doctors had at least one rating among the three websites. The surgeons with a higher average rating had significantly better trust (p<.01), scheduling (p<.01), staff (p<.01), helpfulness (p<.01), and punctuality (p<.01) scores but significantly less experience (p<.05). A linear regression model for the average rating of each surgeon (R2 value=0.754) yielded only following three significant variables: trustworthiness (p<.01), experience match (p<.05), and the average number of negative comments on surgeon's professional competence (p<.05). Trustworthiness (β=0.749) was the strongest predictor variable of physician rating, followed by the number of negative professional competence comments (β=?0.132) and experience match (β=?0.112).
CONCLUSIONS
This investigation assessed spine surgeon online patient ratings and categorized factors that patients associate with quality care. Trustworthiness was the most significant predictor of positive ratings, whereas ease of scheduling, quality of staff, helpfulness, and punctuality were also associated with higher patient ratings. Understanding what patients value may help optimize care of spine surgery patients. 相似文献
Objective: The objective of this study was to gain greater insight into individuals’ quality of life (QOL) definitions, appraisals, and adaptations following spinal cord injury (SCI).
Design: A mixed-methods design, applying the Schwartz and Sprangers response shift (RS) model. RS is a cognitive process wherein, in response to a change in health status, individuals change internal standards, values, or conceptualization of QOL
Setting: Community-dwelling participants who receive medical treatment at a major Midwestern medical system and nearby Veterans’ Affairs hospital.
Participants: A purposive sample of participants with SCI (N?=?40) completed semi-structured interviews and accompanying quantitative measures.
Interventions: Not applicable.
Outcome Measures: Qualitative data were analyzed using content analysis to identify themes. Analysis of variance were performed to detect differences based on themes and QOL, well-being, and demographic and injury characteristics.
Results: Four RS themes were identified, capturing the range of participant perceptions of QOL. The themes ranged from complete RS, indicating active engagement in maintaining QOL, to awareness and comparisons redefining QOL, to a relative lack of RS. Average QOL ratings differed as a function of response shift themes. PROMIS Global Health, Anxiety, and Depression also differed as a function of RS themes.
Conclusion: The RS model contextualizes differences in QOL definitions, appraisals, and adaptations in a way standardized QOL measures alone do not. 相似文献
In recent years, the surgical profession has attempted to incorporate into clinical practice certain techniques that the airline industry has used to improve safety. These mechanisms have proven to be valuable components of our efforts to ensure that surgical patients receive safe, high-quality care. However, as the authors of “Cost and workforce implications of subjecting all physicians to aviation industry work hour restrictions” note, it would be a mistake to extend aviation's work-hour restrictions to medicine, particularly to resident training programs. 相似文献
Background: The Rhinitis Symptom Utility Index (RSUI), originally developed in the United States, consists of a patient-preference weighting
scheme and a 10-item questionnaire measuring the severity and frequency of rhinitis related symptoms over a 14-day period.
This study aimed to determine whether the Chinese RSUI could adopt the US-based multi-attribute utility function (MAUF) in
scoring rhinitis symptoms. Methods: In a Hong Kong study, 116 Chinese adults with allergic rhinitis completed the RSUI questionnaire and 36-item Short-Form
Health Survey (SF-36) after they had been seen by two otorhinolaryngologists for disease-severity ratings. Respondents then
completed computer-administered direct preference measures, i.e., visual analogue scale (VAS) and standard gamble (SG) assessments.
The VAS and SG data were used to estimate a MAUF for the Chinese-based RSUI. Results: The derived MAUF was somewhat different than the one developed for the US RSUI. Test–retest reliability for the Chinese
RSUI was satisfactory (ICC = 0.71, p<0.001). Scores differentiated among cases with mild, moderate, and severe symptoms (p<0.001); and between those who did and did not require medications to control symptoms (p = 0.031). Findings were significantly correlated with SF-36 domain scores (r = 0.19 to 0.37; p=0.041 to <0.001). When the US-based scoring function was applied to the Chinese subjects, the resulting mean RSUI score was
significantly lower (p<0.001). Comparisons between directly measured VAS and SG scores between the US and Chinese samples, demonstrated significant
differences (all p<0.05), with the US subjects consistently rating rhinitis symptoms as worse than Chinese subjects. Conclusions: The Chinese RSUI has good measurement properties that reflect patient preferences from the Chinese. Results suggest that
there are differences in preference rating between US and Chinese subjects and that use of the US-based preference function
for the RSUI would bias the measurement of rhinitis symptom outcomes in Chinese subjects. 相似文献
Background Insular thyroid carcinoma was described as a tumor with aggressive behavior, and patients usually present themselves with
an advanced tumor stage. Whether the insular component is an independent factor for poor prognosis remains unclear. Therefore,
in the present study, we compared the survival of patients with advanced insular, follicular, and papillary thyroid cancer.
Materials and methods The clinical behavior of tumors in three groups of patients with T4 thyroid carcinoma—8 patients with insular, 11 patients
with follicular, and 21 patients with papillary thyroid carcinomas—was compared. Disease-free survival and disease-specific
death were analyzed statistically. Cox regression analysis was used to evaluate the influence of histotype and other prognostic
factors.
Results At 3 years, survival was 37.5% (mean 26 months) among patients with insular thyroid carcinoma, 80% (mean 59 months) among
those with follicular, and 89% (mean 126 months) among those with papillary thyroid carcinomas (p = 0.007). Disease-free survival in patients without initial distant metastasis was worst in patients with insular thyroid
carcinoma (20%) compared to those with follicular (75%) and those with papillary thyroid carcinomas (71%).
Conclusion Patients with advanced insular thyroid carcinoma have a poorer outcome in comparison to patients with similar advanced stage
who have follicular or papillary thyroid carcinoma. 相似文献
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to determine patient recall and comprehension after laparoscopic appendectomy in an underserved population. Laparoscopic surgery can lead to diagnostic uncertainty secondary to poor recall and variable port placement. METHODS: After institutional review board approval, we identified a cohort of patients who underwent laparoscopic appendectomy from 2000 to 2004 at a single institution. We then attempted to contact the patients to conduct a 10-question telephone survey, which determined whether the patient spoke English or Spanish as a primary language, ethnicity, educational level, and questions about recall of perioperative events and diagnoses. If we could not reach the patient, we tried to call back on 2 different occasions. RESULTS: Between 2000 and 2004, 186 patients underwent laparoscopic appendectomy. Of these, 65% were Hispanic. We found that only 17% of these patients returned for a postoperative visit. Only 19.3% could be contacted by phone. Forty-seven percent of the patients contacted by phone spoke Spanish exclusively. Overall 92% of patients contacted knew what operation they had, and gave their correct diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: The low percentage of patients available to follow-up makes this study statistically insignificant. However, we believe that fact in itself is important. In Southwestern states, we see a large migrant population. This highlights the need to communicate effectively with the patients at the time of surgery, which we speculate we did based on the percentage of patients that knew their diagnosis. 相似文献
BACKGROUND: There is no consensus regarding the optimal rate of follow-up in the post-bariatric surgery patient population. METHODS: The records of all patients who underwent laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass from 2001 to 2003 were reviewed. Using patient zip codes, travel distances were calculated between the patients' places of residence and our clinic. Patients were then assigned to 1 of 3 cohorts according to the following distances: (1) < 50 miles, (2) 50 to 100 miles, and (3) > 100 miles. Patient compliance with follow-up appointments at 3 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, and 12 months was analyzed. Linear trends were identified using the Mantel-Haenszel test. Age and sex were analyzed as possible predictors of compliance using the chi(2) test. P values < .05 were considered statistically significant. RESULTS: The study group comprised 150 patients (127 females and 23 males). The 3 cohorts contained 115, 21, and 14 patients, respectively. All patients in each cohort were compliant with the 3-week follow-up appointment. Although there were differences in compliance between cohorts at each of the remaining appointments, only the 9-month (70.3% vs 61.9% vs 35.7%) visit showed statistical significance (P = .035). The 6-month visit trended toward significance (85.2% vs 76.2% vs 64.3%; P = .088). Males were more likely to be compliant with the 12-month follow-up (P = .040). When controlling for sex, travel distance was also a predictor of compliance at this follow-up visit (P = .024). Age was not predictive of compliance (P = .827). CONCLUSION: Based on our findings, we conclude that travel distance from the clinic does not significantly affect compliance at the initial follow-up, 3-month, and 12-month appointments. However, distance does tend to affect compliance at the 6-month appointment and significantly affects compliance at the 9-month appointment. Males are more likely to be compliant at the 12 month follow-up visit. We must continue to strive for 100% follow-up in our post-bariatric surgery patients. 相似文献
Low-income minority patients from East St. Louis, Illinois, a depressed midwestern urban city, who had visited acute care settings with asthma symptoms, participated in a focus group. Questions were constructed around the Health Belief Model to characterize participants' experiences in receiving asthma care, their confidence in long-term asthma self-management, barriers they perceived to managing their asthma, and recommendations they would make for improving asthma care in their community. Analysis of comments suggests an appreciable understanding of asthma triggers, limited coping behaviors for asthma symptoms, very limited practice of active asthma management, perception of the health care system as frequently insensitive to their needs or their knowledge of their own care, exchange of well-articulated information regarding how to deal with the system, and an apparent lack of awareness of any potential contribution of patient education or support system. 相似文献
A controlled, double-masked, randomized study was conducted on ten subjects to determine the effect of fenestration size on the initial comfort of hydrogel contact lenses. Four fenestrated lenses were tested, each lens containing four mid-peripheral fenestrations of the same size. The diameter of the fenestrations used in the four lenses ranged from 0.39 to 0.96 mm. An unfenestrated lens was also tested. All lenses were made of HEMA and were ordered with the following specifications: -3.00 D, 14.0 mm diameter, 8.4 mm back central optic radius and 0.06 mm centre thickness. There was a significant negative correlation between comfort and fenestration size, indicating that larger fenestrations are less comfortable. Even the lens with the smallest fenestrations (0.39 mm) was significantly less comfortable than the unfenestrated lens. The implication of this finding is that fenestrations may not be clinically efficacious in view of the poor comfort (and presumably increased mechanical effect of the fenestration edges on the tarsal conjunctiva) of fenestrated lenses. 相似文献
Currently few subjective measures of Quality of Life (QoL) are available for use in developing countries, which limits their theoretical, methodological, and practical contribution (for example, exploring the relationship between economic development and QoL, and ensuring effective and equitable service provision). One reason for this is the difficulty of ensuring that translated measures preserve conceptual, item, semantic, operational, measurement; and functional equivalence (Herdman, M., Fox-Rushby, J., & Badia, X. (1998). Quality of Life Research, 7, 331), which is illustrated by an account of the translation, pre-piloting, and administration of a new individualised QoL measure, the Global Person Generated Index or 'GPGI'. The GPGI is based on the widely used Patient Generated Index (Ruta, Camfield, & Martin, (2004) Quality of Life Research, 13, 1545.) and offers many of the advantages of the participatory approaches commonly used in developing countries, with added methodological rigour, and quantitative outcomes. It was successfully validated in Bangladesh, Thailand, and Ethiopia, using quantitative and qualitative methods--open-ended, semi-structured interviews (SSIs), conducted immediately post-administration. Both the measure and method of 'qualitative validation' described later in the paper offer an exciting alternative for future researchers and practitioners in this field. The quantitative results suggest the GPGI shows cultural sensitivity, and is able to capture both the areas that are important to respondents, and aspects of life one would expect to impact on QoL in developing countries. There were strong correlation between scores from the GPGI and SSIs for the area of health, and moderate correlations for 'material wellbeing' (MWB)('Material wellbeing' refers to respondents' perceptions of their achievement in the areas of farming, debt reduction, assets, crops, livestock, job, land, property, and agriculture) and children. Weak to moderate correlations were observed between the Satisfaction with Life Scale and the GPGI; however, the highest coefficient was between the GPGI and the most conceptually similar item. Statistically significant differences were seen in GPGI scores between rich and poor, urban and rural respondents, and different countries. Health and material wellbeing scores, derived from the SSIs, also showed a linear relationship with GPGI scores, with a suggestion of curvilinearity at the higher levels, as predicted by a general QoL causal model. In conclusion, the GPGI has great potential for use in this area, especially when supported by extensive interviewer training, and supplemented with a cognitive appraisal schedule. 相似文献