Business Cards as a Mechanism to Encourage Patient Feedback About Trainees

Authors

Marc Atzenhoefer, Aurora Sinai/Aurora St. Luke’s Medical CentersFollow
Jodie Ruffin, Aurora Sinai/Aurora St. Luke’s Medical Centers
David Parewski, Aurora St. Luke’s Medical Center
Nicole Deklotz, Aurora St. Luke’s Medical CenterFollow
M. Fuad Jan, Aurora Sinai/Aurora St. Luke’s Medical Centers; University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health
Ana Cristina Perez Moreno, Advocate Aurora Research Institute, Advocate Aurora Health
Suhail Q. Allaqaband, Aurora Sinai/Aurora St. Luke’s Medical Centers; University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public HealthFollow

Publication Date

7-19-2021

Keywords

feedback, patient satisfaction, communication skills, domains of clinical competence, cardiovascular fellowship, graduate medical education

Abstract

This project sought to evaluate if business card distribution improved the utility of Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) surveys by serving as a feedback mechanism for trainees. Between fall 2018 and spring 2019, patient encounters for 6 cardiovascular disease fellows were tracked over two 60-day periods. Six weeks were allowed for HCAHPS surveys to be returned. Business cards were subsequently deployed and encounters similarly tracked. During the control-group monitoring period, 721 patient encounters were logged and 80 (11.1%) surveys were returned. Qualitative feedback, in the form of free-response comments, was provided in 41 (51.3%) surveys. Business cards were then deployed and encounters similarly tracked. During the business card period, 508 patient encounters occurred and 97 (19.1%) surveys were returned. Qualitative feedback was provided in 52 (53.6%) surveys. No fellow-specific feedback was returned in either group. Business card use by trainees was associated with an improved rate of survey return, from 11.1% to 19.1%, but no effect on feedback to fellows or patient satisfaction scores was found. HCAHPS surveys were not useful in providing trainees with feedback. Immediate verbal feedback from patients via ancillary staff was observed. A method of relaying communication from patients to ancillary staff and medical education programs is needed.

Recommended Citation

Atzenhoefer M, Ruffin J, Parewski D, Deklotz N, Jan MF, Perez Moreno AC, Allaqaband SQ. Business cards as a mechanism to encourage patient feedback about trainees. J Patient Cent Res Rev. 2021;8:267-71. doi: 10.17294/2330-0698.1802