The inpatient family experience at pediatric hospitals across the country varies significantly, according to a recent survey by the Center of Excellence for Pediatric Quality Measurement at Boston Children’s Hospital.
Researchers from the hospital surveyed more than 17,000 parents whose children had been hospitalized, focusing on 18 patient experience measures that addressed communication with the parent, communication with the child, attention to safety and comfort, hospital environment, and overall experience during the hospital stay. (An abstract of the study is available online at: http://bit.ly/2ohyPls.)
The average hospital rating was 73%, with hospitals scoring lowest on the “preventing mistakes and helping you report concerns” measure, where 55% reported dissatisfaction. Scores were highest for the “keeping you informed about your child’s care in the emergency room” measure, with 84% pleased with the hospital’s performance.
The researchers noted wide variability among hospitals on each of the 18 measures. “Involving teens in their care,” for instance, ranged from 53% to 96%, and “How well doctors communicate with your child” varied from 55% to 91%. “Communication about your child’s medicines” had a range of 70% to 96%, and “Paying attention to your child’s pain” ranged from 59% to 94%.
Dedicated children’s hospitals tended to score better than children’s units within general hospitals, and teaching hospitals performed better than non-teaching hospitals in most categories. Teaching hospitals scored lower for quietness.
