Measuring maternal satisfaction with maternity care: A systematic integrative review: What is the most appropriate, reliable and valid tool that can be used to measure maternal satisfaction with continuity of maternity care?

Science.gov (United States)

Perriman, Noelyn; Davis, Deborah

2016-06-01

The objective of this systematic integrative review is to identify, summarise and communicate the findings of research relating to tools that measure maternal satisfaction with continuity of maternity care models. In so doing the most appropriate, reliable and valid tool that can be used to measure maternal satisfaction with continuity of maternity care will be determined. A systematic integrative review of published and unpublished literature was undertaken using selected databases. Research papers were included if they measured maternal satisfaction in a continuity model of maternity care, were published in English after 1999 and if they included (or made available) the instrument used to measure satisfaction. Six hundred and thirty two unique papers were identified and after applying the selection criteria, four papers were included in the review. Three of these originated in Australia and one in Canada. The primary focus of all papers was not on the development of a tool to measure maternal satisfaction but on the comparison of outcomes in different models of care. The instruments developed varied in terms of the degree to which they were tested for validity and reliability. Women's satisfaction with maternity services is an important measure of quality. Most satisfaction surveys in maternity appear to reflect fragmented models of care though continuity of care models are increasing in line with the evidence demonstrating their effectiveness. It is important that robust tools are developed for this context and that there is some consistency in the way this is measured and reported for the purposes of benchmarking and quality improvement. Copyright © 2016 Australian College of Midwives. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Determinants of continuance intention in a post-adoption satisfaction evaluation of a clinical information system.

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Hadji, Brahim; Dupuis, Isabelle; Leneveut, Laurence; Heudes, Didier; Wagner, Jean-François; Degoulet, Patrice

2014-01-01

The evaluation of end-user satisfaction is an essential part of any clinical information system (CIS) project. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the determinants of CIS continuance intention in a late post-adoption phase at the Georges Pompidou University Hospital (HEGP) in Paris. We designed an electronic survey instrument based on an IT post-adoption model (ITPAM) developed from three previous models, i.e., the Delone and McLean Information Success Model, the Davis TAM model and the Bhattacherjee information system continuance intention model. 419 questionnaires were collected from CIS users directly involved in patient care. The perceived CIS quality, usefulness and user satisfaction are significantly lower for medical professions than other professional groups. Continuance intention is very high within all professional subgroups. In a multiple regression analysis, the global satisfaction (R(2) = .780) was positively and significantly correlated with CIS quality, confirmation of expectations and perceived CIS usefulness. The continuance intention (R(2) = .392) was positively and significantly correlated with perceived CIS usefulness, confirmation of expectations and global satisfaction. In a late post-adoption CIS deployment phase, continuance intention does not significantly depend on individual end user characteristics but is significantly associated with the perceived CIS usefulness, confirmation of expectations and global satisfaction.

Improving patient satisfaction through physician education, feedback, and incentives.

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Banka, Gaurav; Edgington, Sarah; Kyulo, Namgyal; Padilla, Tony; Mosley, Virgie; Afsarmanesh, Nasim; Fonarow, Gregg C; Ong, Michael K

2015-08-01

Patient satisfaction has been associated with improved outcomes and become a focus of reimbursement. Evaluate an intervention to improve patient satisfaction. Nonrandomized, pre-post study that took place from 2011 to 2012. Large tertiary academic medical center. Internal medicine (IM) resident physicians, non-IM resident physicians, and adult patients of the resident physicians. IM resident physicians were provided with patient satisfaction education through a conference, real-time individualized patient satisfaction score feedback, monthly recognition, and incentives for high patient-satisfaction scores. Patient satisfaction on physician-related and overall satisfaction questions on the HCAHPS survey. We conducted a difference-in-differences regression analysis comparing IM and non-IM patient responses, adjusting for differences in patient characteristics. In our regression analysis, the percentage of patients who responded positively to all 3 physician-related Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) questions increased by 8.1% in the IM and 1.5% in the control cohorts (absolute difference 6.6%, P = 0.04). The percentage of patients who would definitely recommend this hospital to friends and family increased by 7.1% in the IM and 1.5% in the control cohorts (absolute difference 5.6%, P = 0.02). The national average for the HCAHPS outcomes studied improved by no more than 3.1%. This study was nonrandomized and was conducted at a single site. To our knowledge, this is the first intervention associated with a significant improvement in HCAHPS scores. This may serve as a model to increase patient satisfaction, hospital revenue, and train resident physicians. © 2015 Society of Hospital Medicine.

Continuous quality improvement for the clinical decision unit.

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Mace, Sharon E

2004-01-01

Clinical decision units (CDUs) are a relatively new and growing area of medicine in which patients undergo rapid evaluation and treatment. Continuous quality improvement (CQI) is important for the establishment and functioning of CDUs. CQI in CDUs has many advantages: better CDU functioning, fulfillment of Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations mandates, greater efficiency/productivity, increased job satisfaction, better performance improvement, data availability, and benchmarking. Key elements include a database with volume indicators, operational policies, clinical practice protocols (diagnosis specific/condition specific), monitors, benchmarks, and clinical pathways. Examples of these important parameters are given. The CQI process should be individualized for each CDU and hospital.

Paths to continuous improvement of a CRM strategy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lluís G. Renart

2008-07-01

Full Text Available The concept of relationship marketing has led to a paradigm change in marketing. Over the last few decades, numerous studies have analyzed the impact of customer relationship management (CRM programs on customer satisfaction and loyalty. Quite a few CRM programs have been found to have little or no impact. Having already published several articles and cases on the subject, in this paper we set out to answer the following question: assuming a company already has a reasonably successful CRM strategy in place, how can it continuously adapt and improve that strategy? Our recommendation is that such companies implement a continuous improvement process at four different but complementary levels: first, review and reinforce the company’s mission, culture and values; second, reconsider and, if necessary, redesign the CRM strategy; third, manage the various relationship-building activities more effectively; and lastly, review and, if necessary, improve the quality of material and human resources, program execution and process governance. A systematic review of these four levels or “paths” of improvement should help generate and maintain high quality relationships over time.

The Influence of Service Quality on Satisfaction and Information System Continuance Intention

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Semina Halilović

2015-06-01

Full Text Available The expectation-confirmation model of IS continuance (ECM-IS explains determinants affecting the behavior of information system (IS users which can also have an impact on their decision whether to continue or discontinue the IS use. Service quality is considered a potential motivator which can influence users’ IS behavior. Likewise, one may expect service quality to be a motivator of users’ IS continuance intention influencing their future behavior after the initial IS use, and to be an important factor of IS success in general. In this study, an extension of the ECM-IS has been proposed in order to examine whether the perception of service quality by users plays an important role in shaping IS user behavior, as well as whether it affects the level of satisfaction with and the decision to either continue or discontinue the IS use. The Extended ECM-IS (EECM-IS has explained 66% of the variance dependent variable of IS continuance. Findings of this study confirm that perceived usefulness, satisfaction and perceived service quality are significant predictors of users’ IS continuance intention.

Measuring and improving customer satisfaction with government services

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Glen D. Alexander

1995-01-01

Two years ago, Ohio State Park developed a methodology of measuring customer satisfaction, to gauge the effectiveness of our customer service. What follows is a discussion of our installation of systems to measure and improve customer satisfaction, the interpretation of the data, and the positive results we have enjoyed.

Communication Skills Training for Physicians Improves Patient Satisfaction.

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Boissy, Adrienne; Windover, Amy K; Bokar, Dan; Karafa, Matthew; Neuendorf, Katie; Frankel, Richard M; Merlino, James; Rothberg, Michael B

2016-07-01

Skilled physician communication is a key component of patient experience. Large-scale studies of exposure to communication skills training and its impact on patient satisfaction have not been conducted. We aimed to examine the impact of experiential relationship-centered physician communication skills training on patient satisfaction and physician experience. This was an observational study. The study was conducted at a large, multispecialty academic medical center. Participants included 1537 attending physicians who participated in, and 1951 physicians who did not participate in, communication skills training between 1 August 2013 and 30 April 2014. An 8-h block of interactive didactics, live or video skill demonstrations, and small group and large group skills practice sessions using a relationship-centered model. Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS), Clinician and Group Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CGCAHPS), Jefferson Scale of Empathy (JSE), Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), self-efficacy, and post course satisfaction. Following the course, adjusted overall CGCAHPS scores for physician communication were higher for intervention physicians than for controls (92.09 vs. 91.09, p communication scores (83.95 vs. 82.73, p = 0.22). Physicians reported high course satisfaction and showed significant improvement in empathy (116.4 ± 12.7 vs. 124 ± 11.9, p communication skills training improved patient satisfaction scores, improved physician empathy, self-efficacy, and reduced physician burnout. Further research is necessary to examine longer-term sustainability of such interventions.

Assessment of and recommendations to improve pharmacy faculty satisfaction and retention.

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Spivey, Christina A; Chisholm-Burns, Marie A; Murphy, John E; Rice, Laura; Morelli, Christopher

2009-01-01

The level of job satisfaction and items associated with job satisfaction are examined among pharmacy faculty in the United States. An Internet-based survey was developed and distributed via e-mail to randomly selected faculty. The survey questionnaire was developed based on items used in previous surveys related to faculty job satisfaction and included a seven-item job satisfaction measure, satisfaction with work- and career-related items, items regarding the work environment, and demographic information. Analysis of variance and Pearson's correlation coefficient were used to analyze the relationship among variables. Out of 1000 faculty members who received the survey, 266 responded. The mean +/- S.D. level of global job satisfaction for faculty was 3.82 +/- 0.77. Global satisfaction and salary satisfaction were associated with higher salary level (p satisfaction were found for several work and career items. Female faculty members were less satisfied with time for family and personal needs compared with male faculty (p job satisfaction, there are several work and career and work environment areas in which improvement in satisfaction is needed. Provision of competitive salaries and development of a stimulating, supportive institutional culture may increase job satisfaction and facilitate improved faculty retention.

Improving Patient Satisfaction in a Midsize Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Outpatient Clinic.

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Fustino, Nicholas J; Kochanski, Justin J

2015-09-01

The study of patient satisfaction is a rapidly emerging area of importance within health care. High levels of patient satisfaction are associated with exceptional physician-patient communication, superior patient compliance, reduced risk of medical malpractice, and economic benefit in the value-based purchasing era. To our knowledge, no previous reports have evaluated methods to improve the patient experience within the pediatric hematology-oncology (PHO) outpatient clinic. Patient satisfaction was measured using returned Press-Ganey surveys at Blank Children's Hospital PHO outpatient clinic (UnityPoint Health). The aim of this study was to raise the overall patient satisfaction score to the 75th percentile and raise the care provider score (CP) to the 90th percentile nationally. After analyzing data from 2013, interventions were implemented in January 2014, including weekly review of returned surveys, review of goals and progress at monthly staff meetings, distribution of written materials addressing deficiencies, score transparency among providers, provider use of Web-based patient satisfaction training modules, devotion of additional efforts to address less satisfied demographics (new patient consultations), and more liberal use of service recovery techniques. In the PHO outpatient clinic, overall patient satisfaction improved from the 56th to 97th percentile. Care provider scores improved from the 70th to 99 th percentile. For new patients, overall satisfaction improved from the 27th to 92 nd percentile, and care provider scores improved from the 29th to 98 th percentile. Patient satisfaction was improved in a midsize PHO clinic by implementing provider- and staff-driven initiatives. A combination of minor behavioral changes among care providers and staff in conjunction with systems-related modifications drove improvement. Copyright © 2015 by American Society of Clinical Oncology.

Continuous quality improvement intervention for adolescent and young adult HIV testing services in Kenya improves HIV knowledge.

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Wagner, Anjuli D; Mugo, Cyrus; Bluemer-Miroite, Shay; Mutiti, Peter M; Wamalwa, Dalton C; Bukusi, David; Neary, Jillian; Njuguna, Irene N; O'Malley, Gabrielle; John-Stewart, Grace C; Slyker, Jennifer A; Kohler, Pamela K

2017-07-01

To determine whether continuous quality improvement (CQI) improves quality of HIV testing services for adolescents and young adults (AYA). CQI was introduced at two HIV testing settings: Youth Centre and Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT) Center, at a national referral hospital in Nairobi, Kenya. Primary outcomes were AYA satisfaction with HIV testing services, intent to return, and accurate HIV prevention and transmission knowledge. Healthcare worker (HCW) satisfaction assessed staff morale. T tests and interrupted time series analysis using Prais-Winsten regression and generalized estimating equations accounting for temporal trends and autocorrelation were conducted. There were 172 AYA (Youth Centre = 109, VCT = 63) during 6 baseline weeks and 702 (Youth Centre = 454, VCT = 248) during 24 intervention weeks. CQI was associated with an immediate increase in the proportion of AYA with accurate knowledge of HIV transmission at Youth Centre: 18 vs. 63% [adjusted risk difference (aRD) 0.42,95% confidence interval (CI) 0.21 to 0.63], and a trend at VCT: 38 vs. 72% (aRD 0.30, 95% CI -0.04 to 0.63). CQI was associated with an increase in the proportion of AYA with accurate HIV prevention knowledge in VCT: 46 vs. 61% (aRD 0.39, 95% CI 0.02-0.76), but not Youth Centre (P = 0.759). In VCT, CQI showed a trend towards increased intent to retest (4.0 vs. 4.3; aRD 0.78, 95% CI -0.11 to 1.67), but not at Youth Centre (P = 0.19). CQI was not associated with changes in AYA satisfaction, which was high during baseline and intervention at both clinics (P = 0.384, P = 0.755). HCW satisfaction remained high during intervention and baseline (P = 0.746). CQI improved AYA knowledge and did not negatively impact HCW satisfaction. Quality improvement interventions may be useful to improve adolescent-friendly service delivery.

Continual improvement: A bibliography with indexes, 1992-1993

Science.gov (United States)

1994-01-01

This bibliography lists 606 references to reports and journal articles entered into the NASA Scientific and Technical Information Database during 1992 to 1993. Topics cover the philosophy and history of Continual Improvement (CI), basic approaches and strategies for implementation, and lessons learned from public and private sector models. Entries are arranged according to the following categories: Leadership for Quality, Information and Analysis, Strategic Planning for CI, Human Resources Utilization, Management of Process Quality, Supplier Quality, Assessing Results, Customer Focus and Satisfaction, TQM Tools and Philosophies, and Applications. Indexes include subject, personal author, corporate source, contract number, report number, and accession number.

School satisfaction and social relations: Swedish schoolchildren's improvement suggestions.

Science.gov (United States)

Persson, Louise; Haraldsson, Katarina; Hagquist, Curt

2016-01-01

The aim was to explore schoolchildren's views on how to increase school satisfaction and improve social relations among peers at school. Improvement suggestions were collected from school children aged 10-12 years with the help of a feedback model developed for the purpose. Qualitative content analysis was used. Two categories emerged from the analysis: 'psychosocial climate', which included the subcategories 'adults' roles and responsibilities' and 'classmates' norms and values'; 'influence', which included the subcategories 'changes in the physical environment' and 'flexible learning'. The categories are seen as important to increase school satisfaction and improve social relations among peers at school. Examining children's opinions is requested and promoted by the UN convention on the Rights of the Child. The findings contribute to the field by showing how school satisfaction and social relations might be improved, if the child perspective is considered in the planning of health promotion activities in school.

Student performance and satisfaction in continuous learning pathways in Dutch VET

OpenAIRE

Biemans, H.J.A.

2012-01-01

An important trend in the Vocational Education and Training (VET) system in the Netherlands is the design of continuous learning pathways enclosing more than one school type level. These continuous learning pathways are characterized by different design formats. In this study, the relations between these design formats and student performance and satisfaction were examined. Five coordinators and 161 students of five so-called Green Lycea (GL) in the life sciences domain, in which the elements...

Generating Gratitude in the Workplace to Improve Faculty Job Satisfaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Stegen, Amy; Wankier, Jamie

2018-06-01

The current nursing shortage affects all settings. In an effort to promote retention of nursing faculty, an "attitude of gratitude" was cultivated to improve job satisfaction and increase collaboration in one school of nursing. This was a quantitative study using a convenience sample of faculty at one school of nursing. A presurvey of faculty on perceived gratitude levels and job satisfaction was administered prior to the start of the school year. Multiple gratitude interventions were implemented throughout the year and a postsurvey was administered to measure the effectiveness of interventions. The findings of this study show an improvement of 17.9% in overall job satisfaction, which is consistent with other studies on the topic. Collaboration was not affected by gratitude interventions. Implementing gratitude is a cost-effective and easy way to improve job satisfaction to increase faculty retention rates. [J Nurs Educ. 2018;57(6):375-378.]. Copyright 2018, SLACK Incorporated.

Satisfaction with appearance and the desired treatment to improve aesthetics.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Zarea, Bader K

2013-01-01

Objective. To identify participants' satisfaction with appearance and the desired treatment to improve aesthetics. Materials and Methods. 220 participants (127 males and 93 females, mean age = 21.4 ± 1.5 years) were recruited into the study. A structured questionnaire was used to assess patients' satisfaction with appearance and what treatment they desire to improve aesthetics. Participants scored the level of satisfaction with appearance using visual analogue scale. Results. The VAS mean score of satisfaction with general appearance was 6.8 ± 2.3. Half participants were dissatisfied with tooth appearance and 65.9% were dissatisfied with tooth colour. Higher VAS scores were associated with higher desire for all treatments that improve tooth appearance (P feeling of poor tooth alignment, presence of fractured anterior teeth, and increased desire for orthodontic, crowns, and dentures treatments (P desire for tooth whitening and tooth coloured fillings (P desire for aesthetic treatments.

[Job satisfaction and improvement factors in primary care professionals].

Science.gov (United States)

Pérez-Ciordia, I; Guillén-Grima, F; Brugos, A; Aguinaga, I

2013-09-06

The quality of services in a health system is related to the level of satisfaction of its professionals. The aim of this article is to determine job satisfaction in primary care professionals and rank those factors capable of improving it. Descriptive study carried out in Navarre in 2010. A validated questionnaire was sent by post to the population of the study: primary care doctors, pediatricians and nurses. Variables on socio-demographic data were collected and job satisfaction was self-evaluated on a scale of 1 to 10. Respondents were asked to rank 10 factors that could improve the previously mentioned satisfaction. Averages were compared and bivariate analysis was carried out using the chi-square test, studying the association between variables through the Odds Ratio (OR). The adjusted analysis was realized through unconditional logistic regression. We collected 432 questionnaires (77.5%). Average satisfaction was 6.7 (scale of 1 to 10), higher in nursing. Women showed a higher average than men (6.90:6.34). The workers at urban health centers (OR: 1.71; CI: 1.10-2.65) showed a higher risk of dissatisfaction with respect to professionals at rural centers. The training activities of the professional is the most highly valued item, followed by economic questions and questions of care pressure, with no differences found by profession. Job satisfaction is a dimension of quality management in primary care and its study enables identification of problems or opportunities for improvement with an impact on the quality of the services offered.

Patients Provide Recommendations for Improving Patient Satisfaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Moore, Angelo D; Hamilton, Jill B; Krusel, Jessica L; Moore, LeeAntoinette G; Pierre-Louis, Bosny J

2016-04-01

National Committee for Quality Assurance recommends patient-centered medical homes incorporate input from patient populations; however, many health care organizations do not. This qualitative study used two open-ended questions from 148 active duty Army Soldiers and their family members to illicit recommendations for primary care providers and clinic leadership that would improve their health care experiences. Content analysis and descriptive statistics were used to analyze responses. Participant responses were related to four major themes: Access to Care, Interpersonal Interaction, Satisfaction of Care, and Quality of Care. Participants were overall satisfied with their care; however, spending less time waiting for appointments and to see the provider or specialist were the most frequently requested improvements related to Access to Care. For Interpersonal Interaction, 82% of the responses recommended that providers be more attentive listeners, courteous, patient, caring, and respectful. Decreasing wait times and improving interpersonal skills would improve health care experiences and patient satisfaction. Reprint & Copyright © 2016 Association of Military Surgeons of the U.S.

Association between Continuing Education and Job Satisfaction of Nurses Employed in Long-Term Care Facilities.

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Robertson, Ethel M.; Higgins, Leslie; Rozmus, Cathy; Robinson, James P.

1999-01-01

Continuing-education participation and job satisfaction of 85 licensed practical nurses and 25 registered nurses in long-term care were compared. There were no differences between full- and part-time staff. Nurses with higher family incomes participated more frequently. Registered nurses participated more and had greater job satisfaction. (SK)

Integrating patient satisfaction into performance measurement to meet improvement challenges.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, J E; Fisher, D L; Endorf-Olson, J J

2000-05-01

A Value Compass has been proposed to guide health care data collection. The "compass corners" represent the four types of data needed to meet health care customer expectations: appropriate clinical outcomes, improved functional status, patient satisfaction, and appropriate costs. Collection of all four types of data is necessary to select processes in need of improvement, guide improvement teams, and monitor the success of improvement efforts. INTEGRATED DATA AT BRYANLGH: BryanLGH Medical Center in Lincoln, Nebraska, has adopted multiple performance measurement systems to collect clinical outcome, financial, and patient satisfaction data into integrated databases. Data integration allows quality professionals at BryanLGH to identify quality issues from multiple perspectives and track the interrelated effects of improvement efforts. A CASE EXAMPLE: Data from the fourth quarter of 1997 indicated the need to improve processes related to cesarean section (C-section) deliveries. An interdisciplinary team was formed, which focused on educating nurses, physicians, and the community about labor support measures. Physicians were given their own rates of C-section deliveries. The C-section rate decreased from 27% to 19%, but per-case cost increased. PickerPLUS+ results indicated that BryanLGH obstetric patients reported fewer problems with receiving information than the Picker norm, but they reported more problems with the involvement of family members and friends. The data collected so far have indicated a decrease in the C-section rate and a need to continue to work on cost and psychosocial issues. A complete analysis of results was facilitated by integrated performance management systems. Successes have been easily tracked over time, and the need for further work on related processes has been clearly identified.

Predictors of foster parents' satisfaction and intent to continue to foster.

Science.gov (United States)

Denby, R; Rindfleisch, N; Bean, G

1999-03-01

The United States General Accounting Office (United States General Accounting Office [USGAO], 1989) report on out-of-home care affirmed that the foster care system is in crisis. To shed light on some factors that influence retention, the study reported here asked "What factors influence the satisfaction of foster parents?" and "What factors influence the intent of licensed foster parents to continue to foster?" A sample of 539 foster parents in eight urban counties in a large Midwestern state completed questionnaires aimed at addressing these questions. Some of the factors exerting the strongest influence on satisfaction were: feeling competent to handle the children who were placed; wanting to take in children who needed loving parents; no regrets about investment in foster children; foster mother's age; and agency social worker providing information and showing approval for a job well done. An example of factors exerting influence on intent to continue to foster include overall satisfaction, readiness to phone the social worker, number of foster boys in the home, being treated like one needed help oneself, and agency affiliation (private). Efforts to increase the supply of foster homes through recruitment is not enough. The support, training, and professional regard given to parents after they have begun the fostering task is of greater need. Based on analysis of the findings, implications for practice, programming, and policy are offered.

Leveraging information technology to drive improvement in patient satisfaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Nash, Mary; Pestrue, Justin; Geier, Peter; Sharp, Karen; Helder, Amy; McAlearney, Ann Scheck

2010-01-01

A healthcare organization's commitment to quality and the patient experience requires senior leader involvement in improvement strategies, and accountability for goals. Further, improvement strategies are most effective when driven by data, and in the world of patient satisfaction, evidence is growing that nurse leader rounding and discharge calls are strategic tactics that can improve patient satisfaction. This article describes how The Ohio State University Medical Center (OSUMC) leveraged health information technology (IT) to apply a data-driven strategy execution to improve the patient experience. Specifically, two IT-driven approaches were used: (1) business intelligence reporting tools were used to create a meaningful reporting system including dashboards, scorecards, and tracking reports and (2) an improvement plan was implemented that focused on two high-impact tactics and data to hardwire accountability. Targeted information from the IT systems enabled clinicians and administrators to execute these strategic tactics, and senior leaders to monitor achievement of strategic goals. As a result, OSUMC's inpatient satisfaction scores on the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems survey improved from 56% nines and tens in 2006 to 71% in 2009. © 2010 National Association for Healthcare Quality.

Record of Assessment Moderation Practice (RAMP): Survey Software as a Mechanism of Continuous Quality Improvement

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Genevieve Marie

2015-01-01

In higher education, assessment integrity is pivotal to student learning and satisfaction, and, therefore, a particularly important target of continuous quality improvement. This paper reports on the preliminary development and application of a process of recording and analysing current assessment moderation practices, with the aim of identifying…

Satisfaction with Appearance and the Desired Treatment to Improve Aesthetics

OpenAIRE

Al-Zarea, Bader K.

2013-01-01

Objective. To identify participants’ satisfaction with appearance and the desired treatment to improve aesthetics. Materials and Methods. 220 participants (127 males and 93 females, mean age = 21.4 ± 1.5 years) were recruited into the study. A structured questionnaire was used to assess patients’ satisfaction with appearance and what treatment they desire to improve aesthetics. Participants scored the level of ...

Quality Improvement Project to Improve Patient Satisfaction With Pain Management: Using Human-Centered Design.

Science.gov (United States)

Trail-Mahan, Tracy; Heisler, Scott; Katica, Mary

2016-01-01

In this quality improvement project, our health system developed a comprehensive, patient-centered approach to improving inpatient pain management and assessed its impact on patient satisfaction across 21 medical centers. Using human-centered design principles, a bundle of 6 individual and team nursing practices was developed. Patient satisfaction with pain management, as measured by the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems pain composite score, increased from the 25th to just under the 75th national percentile.

Can Team-Based Care Improve Patient Satisfaction? A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials

Science.gov (United States)

Wen, Jin; Schulman, Kevin A.

2014-01-01

Background Team-based approaches to patient care are a relatively recent innovation in health care delivery. The effectiveness of these approaches on patient outcomes has not been well documented. This paper reports a systematic review of the relationship between team-based care and patient satisfaction. Methods We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, and PSYCHOINFO for eligible studies dating from inception to October 8, 2012. Eligible studies reported (1) a randomized controlled trial, (2) interventions including both team-based care and non-team-based care (or usual care), and (3) outcomes including an assessment of patient satisfaction. Articles with different settings between intervention and control were excluded, as were trial protocols. The reference lists of retrieved papers were also evaluated for inclusion. Results The literature search yielded 319 citations, of which 77 were screened for further full-text evaluation. Of these, 27 articles were included in the systematic review. The 26 trials with a total of 15,526 participants were included in this systematic review. The pooling result of dichotomous data (number of studies: 10) showed that team-based care had a positive effect on patient satisfaction compared with usual care (odds ratio, 2.09; 95% confidence interval, 1.54 to 2.84); however, combined continuous data (number of studies: 7) demonstrated that there was no significant difference in patient satisfaction between team-based care and usual care (standardized mean difference, −0.02; 95% confidence interval, −0.40 to 0.36). Conclusions Some evidence showed that team-based care is better than usual care in improving patient satisfaction. However, considering the pooling result of continuous data, along with the suboptimal quality of included trials, further large-scale and high-quality randomized controlled trials comparing team-based care and usual care are needed. PMID:25014674

Patients report better satisfaction with part-time primary care physicians, despite less continuity of care and access.

Science.gov (United States)

Panattoni, Laura; Stone, Ashley; Chung, Sukyung; Tai-Seale, Ming

2015-03-01

The growing number of primary care physicians (PCPs) reducing their clinical work hours has raised concerns about meeting the future demand for services and fulfilling the continuity and access mandates for patient-centered care. However, the patient's experience of care with part-time physicians is relatively unknown, and may be mediated by continuity and access to care outcomes. We aimed to examine the relationships between a physicians' clinical full-time equivalent (FTE), continuity of care, access to care, and patient satisfaction with the physician. We used a multi-level structural equation estimation, with continuity and access modeled as mediators, for a cross-section in 2010. The study included family medicine (n = 104) and internal medicine (n = 101) physicians in a multi-specialty group practice, along with their patient satisfaction survey responses (n = 12,688). Physician level FTE, continuity of care received by patients, continuity of care provided by physician, and a Press Ganey patient satisfaction with the physician score, on a 0-100 % scale, were measured. Access to care was measured as days to the third next-available appointment. Physician FTE was directly associated with better continuity of care received (0.172% per FTE, p part-time PCPs in practice redesign efforts and initiatives to meet the demand for primary care services.

Continual improvement plan

Science.gov (United States)

1994-01-01

NASA's approach to continual improvement (CI) is a systems-oriented, agency-wide approach that builds on the past accomplishments of NASA Headquarters and its field installations and helps achieve NASA's vision, mission, and values. The NASA of the future will fully use the principles of continual improvement in every aspect of its operations. This NASA CI plan defines a systematic approach and a model for continual improvement throughout NASA, stressing systems integration and optimization. It demonstrates NASA's constancy of purpose for improvement - a consistent vision of NASA as a worldwide leader in top-quality science, technology, and management practices. The CI plan provides the rationale, structures, methods, and steps, and it defines NASA's short term (1-year) objectives for improvement. The CI plan presents the deployment strategies necessary for cascading the goals and objectives throughout the agency. It also provides guidance on implementing continual improvement with participation from top leadership and all levels of employees.

Applying Lean/Toyota production system principles to improve phlebotomy patient satisfaction and workflow.

Science.gov (United States)

Melanson, Stacy E F; Goonan, Ellen M; Lobo, Margaret M; Baum, Jonathan M; Paredes, José D; Santos, Katherine S; Gustafson, Michael L; Tanasijevic, Milenko J

2009-12-01

Our goals were to improve the overall patient experience and optimize the blood collection process in outpatient phlebotomy using Lean principles. Elimination of non-value-added steps and modifications to operational processes resulted in increased capacity to handle workload during peak times without adding staff. The result was a reduction of average patient wait time from 21 to 5 minutes, with the goal of drawing blood samples within 10 minutes of arrival at the phlebotomy station met for 90% of patients. In addition, patient satisfaction increased noticeably as assessed by a 5-question survey. The results have been sustained for 10 months with staff continuing to make process improvements.

Evaluating the impact of continuous quality improvement methods at hospitals in Tanzania: a cluster-randomized trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Kamiya, Yusuke; Ishijma, Hisahiro; Hagiwara, Akiko; Takahashi, Shizu; Ngonyani, Henook A M; Samky, Eleuter

2017-02-01

To evaluate the impact of implementing continuous quality improvement (CQI) methods on patient's experiences and satisfaction in Tanzania. Cluster-randomized trial, which randomly allocated district-level hospitals into treatment group and control group, was conducted. Sixteen district-level hospitals in Kilimanjaro and Manyara regions of Tanzania. Outpatient exit surveys targeting totally 3292 individuals, 1688 in the treatment and 1604 in the control group, from 3 time-points between September 2011 and September 2012. Implementation of the 5S (Sort, Set, Shine, Standardize, Sustain) approach as a CQI method at outpatient departments over 12 months. Cleanliness, waiting time, patient's experience, patient's satisfaction. The 5S increased cleanliness in the outpatient department, patients' subjective waiting time and overall satisfaction. However, negligible effects were confirmed for patient's experiences on hospital staff behaviours. The 5S as a CQI method is effective in enhancing hospital environment and service delivery; that are subjectively assessed by outpatients even during the short intervention period. Nevertheless, continuous efforts will be needed to connect CQI practices with the further improvement in the delivery of quality health care. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press in association with the International Society for Quality in Health Care. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com

Improvement in cost-effectiveness and customer satisfaction by a quality management system according to EN ISO 9001:2000.

Science.gov (United States)

Beholz, Sven; Konertz, Wolfgang

2005-12-01

The implementation of a quality management system (QMS) according to EN ISO 9001:2000 has proven to be possible for cardiac surgery departments. However, it remains unclear if a QMS can help to improve quality as indicated by cost-effectiveness and customer satisfaction. To control costs for medical goods and laboratory investigations an internal control system for the allocation of resources was implemented. Laboratory costs and medical goods per open heart procedure were investigated in the years 2000 to 2003. In terms of customer satisfaction, repeated questionnaire-based evaluation of referring physicians was obtained from 2001 to 2003 and the influence of repeated interventions on various aspects of communications was investigated. Costs of medical goods could be reduced by 6.1%, and for laboratory investigations by 35% per operation. Additionally, customer satisfaction could be increased efficiently with respect to accessibility and postoperative communication. By the introduction of a process based QMS, efficient control of the costs of medical goods and laboratory investigations could be achieved. Once a year repeat evaluation of satisfaction of advising physicians has proven to be a valuable tool in the process of continuous improvement.

Assessing customer satisfaction for improving NOAA's climate products and services

Science.gov (United States)

Meyers, J. C.; Hawkins, M. D.; Timofeyeva, M. M.

2009-12-01

NOAA's National Weather Service (NWS) Climate Services Division (CSD) is developing a comprehensive climate user requirements process with the ultimate goal of producing climate services that meet the needs of NWS climate information users. An important part of this effort includes engaging users through periodical surveys conducted by the Claes Fornell International (CFI) Group using the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI). The CFI Group conducted a Climate Services Satisfaction (CSS) Survey in May of 2009 to measure customer satisfaction with current products and services and to gain insight on areas for improvement. The CSS Survey rates customer satisfaction on a range of NWS climate services data and products, including Climate Prediction Center (CPC) outlooks, drought monitoring, and ENSO monitoring and forecasts, as well as NWS local climate data services. In addition, the survey assesses the users of the products to give the NWS insight into its climate customer base. The survey also addresses specific topics such as NWS forecast category names, probabilistic nature of climate products, and interpretation issues. The survey results identify user requirements for improving existing NWS climate services and introducing new ones. CSD will merge the survey recommendations with available scientific methodologies and operational capabilities to develop requirements for improved climate products and services. An overview of the 2009 survey results will be presented, such as users' satisfaction with the accuracy, reliability, display and functionality of products and services.

Development and psychometric pilot-testing of a questionnaire for the evaluation of satisfaction with continuing education in infection control nurses.

Science.gov (United States)

Meng, Michael; Peter, Daniel; Mattner, Frauke; Igel, Christoph; Kugler, Christiane

2018-05-16

Satisfaction with continuing education can be defined as positive attitudes towards educational programs, which has potential to strengthen learning outcomes. A multi-dimensional construct may enhance continuing education program evaluation processes. The objective is to describe the development and psychometric testing of the 'affective - behavioral - cognitive - satisfaction questionnaire' (ABC-SAT) for assessing participants' satisfaction with a continuing education program for nurses in infection control. The multi-staged development of a satisfaction questionnaire comprised of three subscales. The pilot tool was administered to a nationwide sample of 126 infection control nurses to assess satisfaction after participating in a continuing education program. Satisfaction scores were calculated and psychometric testing was performed to determine reliability, using Cronbach's alpha, face validity, objectivity, and economy. A principle component analysis using varimax rotation and Kaiser normalization was performed. The analysis led to a three-factor solution of the questionnaire with 11 items, explaining 61.4% of the variance. Internal consistency of three scales using Cronbach's alpha was 0.83, 0.60, and 0.66, respectively. Selectivity coefficients varied between 0.39 and 0.70. Participants needed approximately three minutes to complete the questionnaire. Initial findings refer to a satisfying scale structure and internal consistency of the 3-dimensional ABC-SAT questionnaire. Further research is required to confirm the questionnaires' psychometric properties. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Satisfaction with Appearance and the Desired Treatment to Improve Aesthetics

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Bader K. Al-Zarea

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Objective. To identify participants’ satisfaction with appearance and the desired treatment to improve aesthetics. Materials and Methods. 220 participants (127 males and 93 females, mean age = 21.4 ± 1.5 years were recruited into the study. A structured questionnaire was used to assess patients’ satisfaction with appearance and what treatment they desire to improve aesthetics. Participants scored the level of satisfaction with appearance using visual analogue scale. Results. The VAS mean score of satisfaction with general appearance was 6.8 ± 2.3. Half participants were dissatisfied with tooth appearance and 65.9% were dissatisfied with tooth colour. Higher VAS scores were associated with higher desire for all treatments that improve tooth appearance (. Dissatisfaction with tooth appearance increased with increased dissatisfaction with teeth colour, feeling of poor tooth alignment, presence of fractured anterior teeth, and increased desire for orthodontic, crowns, and dentures treatments (. Dissatisfaction with tooth colour was associated with increased desire for tooth whitening and tooth coloured fillings (. Conclusions. Participants had high levels of dissatisfaction with tooth appearance and tooth colour. Dissatisfaction with tooth colour contributed to the increased dissatisfaction with tooth appearance. Dissatisfaction with tooth appearance, colour, alignment, and condition was significantly related to high desire for aesthetic treatments.

Involving patients in care decisions improves satisfaction: an outcomes-based quality improvement project.

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Leff, Ellen W

2004-05-01

A home care agency used quality improvement processes to improve patient satisfaction survey ratings. The focus was on involving patients in decisions about their care. A multidisciplinary team developed creative strategies to increase staff awareness and enhance customer service skills, which had dramatic results.

Examining the Satisfaction Levels of Continual Professional Development Provided by a Rural Accounting Professional Body

Science.gov (United States)

Halabi, Abdel K.

2014-01-01

The Society for the Provision of Education in Rural Australia (SPERA) recognises education as a lifelong process, and there is a need for continuing education and training to be available to rural communities. This paper examines the satisfaction levels of accounting continual professional development (CPD) when provided by a rural accounting…

The impact of a quality improvement program on employee satisfaction in an academic microsystem.

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Varkey, Prathibha; Karlapudi, Sudhakar P; Hensrud, Donald D

2008-01-01

Quality improvement is a potential method to enhance employee satisfaction. This study describes the impact of a program instituted to enhance employee satisfaction using the principles of high-performing microsystems. A shared leadership committee, participatory meetings, suggestion boxes, and quality improvement projects were implemented as part of the program. A follow-up survey 1 year after implementation of the program demonstrated an increase in employee perception of the division's desire to improve service (16%), opportunities to expand skills (17%), involvement in work decisions (25%), and the institution's interest in employee well-being (17%). Key drivers of discretionary effort (4 of 5), job satisfaction (2 of 6), and overall satisfaction (1 of 8) with the institution showed statistically significant improvement in the study division as compared with the other divisions in which no such program was implemented. Further research is needed to study systems changes that enhance employee satisfaction and their impact on patient and financial outcomes.

Customization of electronic medical record templates to improve end-user satisfaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Gardner, Carrie Lee; Pearce, Patricia F

2013-03-01

Since 2004, increasing importance has been placed on the adoption of electronic medical records by healthcare providers for documentation of patient care. Recent federal regulations have shifted the focus from adoption alone to meaningful use of an electronic medical record system. As proposed by the Technology Acceptance Model, the behavioral intention to use technology is determined by the person's attitude toward usage. The purpose of this quality improvement project was to devise and implement customized templates into an existent electronic medical record system in a single clinic and measure the satisfaction of the clinic providers with the system before and after implementation. Provider satisfaction with the electronic medical record system was evaluated prior to and following template implementation using the current version 7.0 of the Questionnaire for User Interaction Satisfaction tool. Provider comments and improvement in the Questionnaire for User Interaction Satisfaction levels of rankings following template implementation indicated a positive perspective by the providers in regard to the templates and customization of the system.

A continuous quality improvement program to focus a college of pharmacy on programmatic advancement.

Science.gov (United States)

Hall, Philip D; Dipiro, Joseph T; Rowen, Randall C; McNair, David

2013-08-12

To enhance the achievement of a college of pharmacy's goals for education, research, and service missions by implementing an excellence program based on the Studer Group model for continuous quality improvement. The Studer model was combined with university strategic planning for a comprehensive quality-improvement program that was implemented over 5 years. The program included identifying and measuring key performance indicators, establishing specific "pillar" goals, aligning behaviors with goals and values, and training leaders. Assessment of key performance indicators over 5 years demonstrated progress toward achieving college goals for student and faculty satisfaction, research funding, numbers of students seeking formal postgraduate training, and private giving. Implementation of a continuous quality-improvement program based on the Studer program enabled the college to focus on and meet its yearly and strategic goals for all components of its mission.

Room Service Improves Nutritional Intake and Increases Patient Satisfaction While Decreasing Food Waste and Cost.

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McCray, Sally; Maunder, Kirsty; Krikowa, Renee; MacKenzie-Shalders, Kristen

2018-02-01

Room service is a foodservice model that has been increasingly implemented across health care facilities in an effort to improve patient satisfaction and reduce food waste. In 2013, Mater Private Hospital Brisbane, Australia, was the first hospital in Australia to implement room service, with the aim of improving patient nutrition care and reducing costs. The aim of this study was to comprehensively evaluate the nutritional intake, plate waste, patient satisfaction, and patient meal costs of room service compared to a traditional foodservice model. A retrospective analysis of quality-assurance data audits was undertaken to assess patient nutritional intake between a facility utilizing a traditional foodservice model and a facility utilizing room service and in a pre-post study design to assess plate waste, patient satisfaction, and patient meal costs before and after the room service implementation. Audit data were collected for eligible adult inpatients in Mater Private Hospital Brisbane and Mater Hospital Brisbane, Australia, between July 2012 and May 2015. The primary outcome measures were nutritional intake, plate waste, patient satisfaction, and patient meal costs. Independent samples t-tests and χ 2 analyses were conducted between pre and post data for continuous data and categorical data, respectively. Pearson χ 2 analysis of count data for sex and reasons for plate waste for data with counts more than five was used to determine asymptotic (two-sided) significance and n-1 χ 2 used for the plate waste analysis. Significance was assessed at P<0.05. This study reported an increased nutritional intake, improved patient satisfaction, and reduced plate waste and patient meal costs with room service compared to a traditional foodservice model. Comparison of nutritional intake between a traditional foodservice model (n=85) and room service (n=63) showed statistically significant increases with room service in both energy (1,306 kcal/day vs 1,588 kcal/day; P=0

Continuous Improvement and Collaborative Improvement: Similarities and Differences

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Middel, Rick; Boer, Harry; Fisscher, Olaf

2006-01-01

the similarities and differences between key components of continuous and collaborative improvement by assessing what is specific for continuous improvement, what for collaborative improvement, and where the two areas of application meet and overlap. The main conclusions are that there are many more similarities...... between continuous and collaborative improvement. The main differences relate to the role of hierarchy/market, trust, power and commitment to collaboration, all of which are related to differences between the settings in which continuous and collaborative improvement unfold....

Continuous quality improvement in the ambulatory endoscopy center.

Science.gov (United States)

Johanson, John F

2002-04-01

of improvement. Second, learning must be viewed as a process. A quality improvement plan that is successful in one setting may not be as favorable in another situation. Clinicians must be able to focus on their individual situations and adapt what others have implemented to their own practice. Third, the most important aspect of the quality improvement is the implementation step. It matters little if elegant studies of endoscopic complications or patient satisfaction are completed if the information is not used to improve the delivery of health care to every single patient. The delivery of medical care continues to evolve. Resources are becoming increasingly scarce and the progressive rise of health care expenditures suggests a need for control. In this zeal for cost constraint, quality must not be sacrificed. This new-found attention to quality must be extended to the level of the individual practitioner to ensure that individual patients' interests are protected and the best possible care is delivered regardless of the economic implications. As providers of health care, endoscopists need to take an active role in these efforts both in understanding and implementing the techniques of quality assessment into their practices. If physicians are not actively involved in data collection and measurement to improve the quality and value of their own work, someone else will undoubtedly assume this role.

Trends in patient satisfaction in Dutch university medical centers: room for improvement for all

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kleefstra, Sophia M.; Zandbelt, Linda C.; de Haes, Hanneke J. C. J. M.; Kool, Rudolf B.

2015-01-01

Results of patient satisfaction research provide hospitals areas for quality improvement. Although it may take several years to achieve such improvement, not all hospitals analyze changes in patient satisfaction over time structurally. Consequently, they lack information from patients' perspective

Why Doesn't He Leave? Relationship Continuity and Satisfaction among Male Domestic Violence Offenders

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Henning, Kris; Connor-Smith, Jennifer

2011-01-01

In contrast to the extensive literature on women's decisions to leave violent relationships, there is little research examining relationship continuity from the offending male's perspective. Similarly, research exploring relationship satisfaction in men arrested for intimate partner violence (IPV) is lacking, despite the fact that dissatisfaction…

Job satisfaction and gender differences in job satisfaction of teachers in Serbian primary schools

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Gligorović Bojana

2014-01-01

Full Text Available This paper aims to examine Serbian primary teachers' job satisfaction as well as the differences in job satisfaction between male and female teachers. The participants were 362 teachers from 57 primary schools in Serbia. Nine dimensions of job satisfaction (Pay, Promotion, Supervision, Fringe Benefits, Contingent Rewards, Operating Procedures, Co-Workers, Nature of Work, Communication were measured. The results indicate that from the dimensions of job satisfaction, Serbian primary teachers are most satisfied with the Nature of work, Communication and Supervision, while the major sources of Serbian primary teachers' job dissatisfaction are Fringe benefits, Pay and Operating procedures. When it comes to the gender difference in job satisfaction, T-test analysis shows slightly higher satisfaction among female teachers, while statistically significant difference exists only in two dimensions: Supervision and Nature of work. Serbian policy makers in the field of education as well as school administrators should pay close attention to teachers' job satisfaction and its improvement considering that it is an essential to the continuing growth of school effectiveness.

Using measures to guide the continuous improvement journey: a partnership between quality assurance and toxicology.

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Gentry, P E; Sites, D L

1994-03-01

It has been said that you cannot improve what you cannot measure. At Eli Lilly and Company, measurement is one of the five pillars of Total Quality. Quality Assurance and Toxicology have partnered in the use of measures to drive improvements in both areas. Quality Assurance and Toxicology have embarked on a journey in Total Quality to achieve customer satisfaction and drive continuous improvement. Measurement in the research and development world has traditionally not been well received. Contrary to popular belief, we have found that many processes can be measured in the research and development environment. Measurement is critical to the continuous improvement of processes because improvements are made using data. In Quality Assurance and Toxicology, the initial measures were put in place to gather baseline data. As we learned from our measures, we customized them to align with all of our processes. This article describes the journey of measuring Quality Assurance and Toxicology, including highlights of implementation strategies and lessons learned along the way.

Improving older people's life satisfaction via social networking site use: Evidence from China.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Junjie

2018-03-01

This study aimed to examine the pathways by which social networking sites (SNSs) can improve older people's life satisfaction. We conducted an online survey in China that lasted eight weeks. Respondents were required to report their demographic characteristics and feelings regarding SNS use. Data were analysed using SPSS 20 and Amos 21. We collected 596 valid samples. The empirical results show that SNS use improves older people's life satisfaction by reducing their loneliness and improving their self-efficacy. Social support alleviates the negative effect of loneliness and enhances the positive effect of self-efficacy on life satisfaction. Sex differences and education differences were significant. Men and less educated people had higher levels of life satisfaction. Policymakers should offer support to SNSs targeting older people and encourage them to provide more useful services. SNS operators should encourage social support among older users and pay attention to sex differences and education differences. © 2018 AJA Inc.

Practice Change From Intermittent Medication Boluses to Bolusing From a Continuous Infusion in Pediatric Critical Care: A Quality Improvement Project.

Science.gov (United States)

Hochstetler, Jessica L; Thompson, A Jill; Ball, Natalie M; Evans, Melissa C; Frame, Shaun C; Haney, A Lauren; Little, Amelia K; O'Donnell, Jaime L; Rickett, Bryna M; Mack, Elizabeth H

2018-04-12

To determine whether implementing a guideline to bolus medications from continuous infusions in PICUs affects nursing satisfaction, patient safety, central line entries, medication utilization, or cost. This is a pre- and postimplementation quality improvement study. An 11-bed ICU and 14-bed cardiac ICU in a university-affiliated children's hospital. Patients less than 18 years old admitted to the PICU or pediatric cardiac ICU receiving a continuous infusion of dexmedetomidine, midazolam, fentanyl, morphine, vecuronium, or cisatracurium from May 2015 to May 2016, excluding November 2015 (washout period), were eligible for inclusion. Change in practice from administering bolus doses from an automated dispensing machine to administering bolus medications from continuous infusion in PICUs. Timing studies were conducted pre- and post implementation in 29 and 26 occurrences, respectively. The median time from the decision to give a bolus until it began infusing decreased by 169 seconds (p 0.05). Annualized cost avoidance was $124,160. Implementation of bolus medications from continuous infusion in PICUs significantly decreased time to begin a bolus dose and increased nursing satisfaction. The practice change also improved medication utilization without negatively impacting patient safety.

Customer satisfaction survey to improve the European cystic fibrosis external quality assessment scheme.

Science.gov (United States)

Berwouts, Sarah; Dequeker, Elisabeth

2011-08-01

The Cystic Fibrosis European Network, coordinated from within the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, is the provider of the European cystic fibrosis external quality assessment (EQA) scheme. The network aimed to seek feedback from laboratories that participated in the cystic fibrosis scheme in order to improve services offered. In this study we analysed responses to an on-line customer satisfaction survey conducted between September and November 2009. The survey was sent to 213 laboratories that participated in the cystic fibrosis EQA scheme of 2008; 69 laboratories (32%) responded. Scores for importance and satisfaction were obtained from a five-point Likert scale for 24 attributes. A score of one corresponded to very dissatisfied/very unimportant and five corresponded to very satisfied/very important. Means were calculated and placed in a two-dimensional grid (importance-satisfaction analysis). Means were subtracted from each other to obtain gap values (gap-analysis). No attribute had a mean score below 3.63. The overall mean of satisfaction was 4.35. Opportunities for improvement enclosed clarity, usefulness and completeness of the general report and individual comments, and user-friendliness of the electronic datasheet. This type of customer satisfaction survey was a valuable instrument to identify opportunities to improve the cystic fibrosis EQA scheme. It should be conducted on a regular basis to reveal new opportunities in the future and to assess effectiveness of actions taken. Moreover, it could be a model for other EQA providers seeking feedback from participants. Overall, the customer satisfaction survey provided a powerful quality of care improvement tool.

Linking customer satisfaction, quality, and strategic planning

OpenAIRE

Reis, Dayr; Peña, Leticia

2000-01-01

By acknowledging and dissecting the interconnected roles of customer satisfaction, quality, and strategic planning, this paper provides an analytical framework for creating a customer-driven organization and culture. It shows how quality starts and ends with the customer. Companies that are achieving long-term continuous improvement in quality tailored to customer satisfaction possess lasting characteristics such as customer orientation, customer consciousness, and customer responsiveness. In...

Preoperative patient education: can we improve satisfaction and reduce anxiety?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jaime Ortiz

2015-02-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Patients' knowledge deficits concerning anesthesia and the anesthesiologist's role in their care may contribute to anxiety. The objective of this study was to develop anesthesia patient education materials that would help improve patient's satisfaction regarding their knowledge of the perioperative process and decrease anxiety in a community hospital with a large Spanish-speaking population. METHODS: A survey (Survey A in English and Spanish was administered to all adult anesthesiology preoperative clinic patients during a 4-week period. The data were analyzed and then a patient education handout was developed in both English and Spanish to assist with our patients' major concerns. A second survey (Survey B was administered that was completed after the education handout had been put into use at the clinic. The survey asked for basic demographic information and included questions on satisfaction with regard to understanding of anesthesia as well as worries regarding surgery and pain. RESULTS: In the patients who received the handout, statistically significant improvement was found in the questions that asked about satisfaction with regard to understanding of type of anesthesia, options for pain control, what patients are supposed to do on the day of surgery, and the amount of information given with regard to anesthetic plan. There was no difference in anxiety related to surgery in patients who received the educational handout compared to those patients who did not. CONCLUSIONS: Patient education handouts improved patient's satisfaction regarding their knowledge of the perioperative process but did not reduce anxiety related to surgery.

Electronic questionnaires for measuring parent satisfaction and as a basis for quality improvement

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ammentorp, Jette; Rasmussen, Anne Mette; Nørgaard, Betty

2007-01-01

BACKGROUND: Using paper questionnaires to measure quality of care from the perspective of the patient is a time consuming procedure resulting in very slow feedback. Response rates are low and patients who cannot read the local language are usually excluded. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the applicabi......BACKGROUND: Using paper questionnaires to measure quality of care from the perspective of the patient is a time consuming procedure resulting in very slow feedback. Response rates are low and patients who cannot read the local language are usually excluded. OBJECTIVE: To investigate...... the applicability of an electronic questionnaire by evaluating the response rate. To study whether computer-based continuous monitoring could elucidate reasons for parents being less satisfied with care and treatment and to compare parent satisfaction with the results of a study performed in 2003. METHODS: Parents...... that the nurses did not have enough time. Significant improvements in satisfaction had occurred as compared to a study from 2003. CONCLUSION: By using electronic questionnaires, it was possible to focus on the small percentage of parents not satisfied, to identify reasons for being less satisfied and to respond...

Job satisfaction and career commitment among Alzheimer's care providers: addressing turnover and improving staff empowerment.

Science.gov (United States)

Coogle, Constance L; Parham, Iris A; Rachel, Colleen A

2011-11-01

This study investigated the relation between job satisfaction and career commitment among 262 Alzheimer's care staff working in long-term and community-based care settings. It was anticipated that the results would suggest whether career commitment could be enhanced to positively influence job satisfaction, and conversely, if improvements in job satisfaction might contribute to a deepened sense of vocational empowerment. Participants attended dementia-specific training and completed 2 short work-related questionnaires that measured job satisfaction and career commitment. The results of stepwise regression revealed interrelations between the 2 constructs. Congruence appeared to be reciprocal with respect to the overall scale scores and the intrinsic job satisfaction measure. Unexpected relations appeared in analyses of the extrinsic job satisfaction measure and the career planning subscale. Results are indicative of the fundamental distinction between job satisfaction and career commitment. Implications for efforts to reduce turnover and improve staff empowerment are also considered.

Strengthen the servant leadership to enhance the nurses’ job satisfaction

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Yun-xia HAO

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Objective: Continue to improve and implement the service concept of "taking patients as the center" through enhancing nurses’ job satisfaction. Methods: Strengthen clinic functions of nursing department, which is guided by the demands of clinical nurses. Results: Clinical nurses’ job satisfaction keeps at a high level. Conclusion: Service-oriented mode of nursing management can make the nurses to keep good work experience and satisfaction.

[Improving the continuous care process in primary care during weekends and holidays: redesigning and FMEA].

Science.gov (United States)

Cañada Dorado, A; Cárdenas Valladolid, J; Espejo Matorrales, F; García Ferradal, I; Sastre Páez, S; Vicente Martín, I

2010-01-01

To describe a project carried out in order to improve the process of Continuous Health Care (CHC) on Saturdays and bank holidays in Primary Care, area number 4, Madrid. The aim of this project was to guarantee a safe and error-free service to patients receiving home health care on weekends. The urgent need for improving CHC process was identified by the Risk Management Functional Unit (RMFU) of the area. In addition, some complaints had been received from the nurses involved in the process as well as from their patients. A SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analysis performed in 2009 highlighted a number of problems with the process. As a result, a project for improvement was drawn up, to be implemented in the following stages: 1. Redesigning and improving the existing process. 2. Application of failure mode and effect analysis (FMEA) to the new process. 3. Follow up, managing and leading the project. 4. Nurse training. 5. Implementing the process in the whole area. 6. CHC nurse satisfaction surveys. After carrying out this project, the efficiency and level of automation improved considerably. Since implementation of the process enhancement measures, no complaints have been received from patients and surveys show that CHC nurse satisfaction has improved. By using FMEA, errors were given priority and enhancement steps were taken in order to: Inform professionals, back-up personnel and patients about the process. Improve the specialist follow-up report. Provide training in ulcer patient care. The process enhancement, and especially its automation, has resulted in a significant step forward toward achieving greater patient safety. FMEA was a useful tool, which helped in taking some important actions. Finally, CHC nurse satisfaction has clearly improved. Copyright © 2009 SECA. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Improving family satisfaction and participation in decision making in an intensive care unit.

Science.gov (United States)

Huffines, Meredith; Johnson, Karen L; Smitz Naranjo, Linda L; Lissauer, Matthew E; Fishel, Marmie Ann-Michelle; D'Angelo Howes, Susan M; Pannullo, Diane; Ralls, Mindy; Smith, Ruth

2013-10-01

Background Survey data revealed that families of patients in a surgical intensive care unit were not satisfied with their participation in decision making or with how well the multidisciplinary team worked together. Objectives To develop and implement an evidence-based communication algorithm and evaluate its effect in improving satisfaction among patients' families. Methods A multidisciplinary team developed an algorithm that included bundles of communication interventions at 24, 72, and 96 hours after admission to the unit. The algorithm included clinical triggers, which if present escalated the algorithm. A pre-post design using process improvement methods was used to compare families' satisfaction scores before and after implementation of the algorithm. Results Satisfaction scores for participation in decision making (45% vs 68%; z = -2.62, P = .009) and how well the health care team worked together (64% vs 83%; z = -2.10, P = .04) improved significantly after implementation. Conclusions Use of an evidence-based structured communication algorithm may be a way to improve satisfaction of families of intensive care patients with their participation in decision making and their perception of how well the unit's team works together.

IMPROVING BANK QUALITY DIMENSIONS TO INCREASE CUSTOMER SATISFACTION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lăcrămioara RADOMIR

2011-01-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study is twofold: 1. examine the relationship betweenservice quality dimensions and customer satisfaction with bank territorialunits; 2. establish which quality measure method out of the four considered inthis study should be applied in order to better determine the areas that needfurther improvement and investment. In this respect, we performed PrincipalComponent Regression (PCR and considered direct importance andperformance measures as well. Our results reveal that human resourceshave the greatest impact on customers’ satisfaction with bank territorial unitsand that both “Convenience and Efficiency” and “Bank personnel” are thedimensions that bank management should consider in their efforts to improveand maintain the service quality level. To the best of our knowledge, this isthe first study which tries to emphasize the relationship between servicequality dimensions and Romanian customers’ satisfaction with bank territorialunits. The main limit of the study lies in the fact that data were collectedamong the customers of a single bank. Nevertheless, it provides valuableinformation about the Romanian market and ought to be considered astarting point for further studies.

Improving Customer Satisfaction in an R and D Environment

Science.gov (United States)

Alexander, Anita; Liou, Y. H. Andrew

1998-01-01

Satisfying customer needs is critical to the sustained competitive advantage of service suppliers. It is therefore important to understand the types of customer needs which, if fulfilled or exceeded, add value and contribute to overall customer satisfaction. This study identifies the needs of various research and development (R&D) customers who contract for engineering and design support services. The Quality Function Deployment (QFD) process was used to organize and translate each customer need into performance measures that, if implemented, can improve customer satisfaction. This study also provides specific performance measures that will more accurately guide the efforts of the engineering supplier. These organizations can either implement the QFD methodology presented herein or extract a few performance measures that are specific to the quality dimensions in need of improvement. Listening to 'what' customers talk about is a good first start.

Determining customer satisfaction in anatomic pathology.

Science.gov (United States)

Zarbo, Richard J

2006-05-01

Measurement of physicians' and patients' satisfaction with laboratory services has become a standard practice in the United States, prompted by national accreditation requirements. Unlike other surveys of hospital-, outpatient care-, or physician-related activities, no ongoing, comprehensive customer satisfaction survey of anatomic pathology services is available for subscription that would allow continual benchmarking against peer laboratories. Pathologists, therefore, must often design their own local assessment tools to determine physician satisfaction in anatomic pathology. To describe satisfaction survey design that would elicit specific information from physician customers about key elements of anatomic pathology services. The author shares his experience in biannually assessing customer satisfaction in anatomic pathology with survey tools designed at the Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, Mich. Benchmarks for physician satisfaction, opportunities for improvement, and characteristics that correlated with a high level of physician satisfaction were identified nationally from a standardized survey tool used by 94 laboratories in the 2001 College of American Pathologists Q-Probes quality improvement program. In general, physicians are most satisfied with professional diagnostic services and least satisfied with pathology services related to poor communication. A well-designed and conducted customer satisfaction survey is an opportunity for pathologists to periodically educate physician customers about services offered, manage unrealistic expectations, and understand the evolving needs of the physician customer. Armed with current information from physician customers, the pathologist is better able to strategically plan for resources that facilitate performance improvements in anatomic pathology laboratory services that align with evolving clinical needs in health care delivery.

Organizational climate survey: management model tool on continuous improvement promotion in Finantial Institutional Environment

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Alex Amancio da Silva

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The organizational climate survey has been an important tool in the corporate world, the way in which the institutions can assess and ascertain through the results, the degree of satisfaction of its employees and look through plan of action, achieve better results in both performance and production. Through an empirical research, exploratory qualitative research, with collection of secondary data, it was found that the implementation of the organizational climate survey, "Speak Frankly" from Itaú Unibanco, it could analyze data and make a plan of effective action aiming at continuous improvement in the organizational environment, serving as personnel management model. The results were favorable in the period from year 2012 to 2014 with an increase of the degree of satisfaction in four 4% and maintained excellent adherence to answer questions reaching 90% the number of employees.

The new health-care quality: value, outcomes, and continuous improvement.

Science.gov (United States)

O'Connor, S J; Lanning, J A

1991-01-01

No longer convinced that their viewpoint on quality is the only one, different stakeholders in the health-care arena are sharing perspectives to piece together the quality picture. Although still preoccupied with the cost of health care, purchasers are concerned about value--efficiency, appropriateness, and effectiveness--as well as price. Faced with evidence of medically unnecessary procedures and unexamined medical theory, practitioners are searching for appropriateness guidelines, useful outcome measures, and methods to elicit informed patient preferences about elective surgeries. Underlying this search for reliable indicators of quality--now expanded to include patient satisfaction--is a new interest in the Japanese notion of "Kaizen" or continuous quality improvement. The end product of this ferment may determine whether good medicine drives out the bad--or vice versa.

Continuous Improvement and Collaborative Improvement: Similarities and Differences

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Middel, H.G.A.; Boer, Harm; Fisscher, O.A.M.

2006-01-01

A substantial body of theoretical and practical knowledge has been developed on continuous improvement. However, there is still a considerable lack of empirically grounded contributions and theories on collaborative improvement, that is, continuous improvement in an inter-organizational setting. The

Marital stability, satisfaction and well-being in old age: variability and continuity in long-term continuously married older persons.

Science.gov (United States)

Margelisch, Katja; Schneewind, Klaus A; Violette, Jeanine; Perrig-Chiello, Pasqualina

2017-04-01

Recent research shows that the well-documented positive effects of marital stability on well-being and health outcomes are conditional upon the quality of marriage. To date, few studies have explored the relationship between marital satisfaction, well-being and health among very long-term married individuals. This study aims at identifying groups of long-term married persons with respect to marital satisfaction and comparing them longitudinally concerning their well-being outcomes, marital stressors, personality and socio-demographic variables. Data are derived from a survey (data collection 2012 and 2014) with 374 continuously married individuals at wave 1 (mean age: 74.2 years, length of marriage: 49.2 years) and 252 at wave 2. Cluster analyses were performed comparing the clusters with regard to various well-being outcomes. The predictive power of cluster affiliation and various predictors at wave 1 on well-being outcomes at wave 2 was tested using regression analyses. Two groups were identified, one happily the other unhappily married, with the happily married scoring higher on all well-being and health outcomes. Regression analyses revealed that group affiliation at wave 1 was not any longer predictive of health, emotional loneliness and hopelessness two years later, when taking into account socio-demographic variables, psychological resilience and marital strain, whereas it remained an important predictor of life satisfaction and social loneliness. Marital satisfaction is associated with health and well-being in older couples over time, whereas psychological resilience and marital strain are major predictors explaining the variance of these outcomes.

[Customer satisfaction with a quality management system according to DIN EN ISO 9001:2000: Increase in the satisfaction of cooperating clinics].

Science.gov (United States)

Beholz, Sven; Konertz, Wolfgang

2006-01-01

The evaluation of customers' satisfaction is elementary for any quality management system. In our university cardiac surgery unit that has been certified according to DIN EN ISO 9001:2000 the influence of repeated evaluation of the referring physicians' satisfaction conducted in the course of three consecutive years on structures and processes in the scope of the quality management system was examined. Customers' satisfaction with the possibility of access to the department could be increased by targeted interventions. Further interventions in the field of documentation led to a measurable increase in satisfaction with postoperative communication. Repeated annual evaluation of the satisfaction of referring physicians has proved to be a valuable tool in the process of continuous quality improvement.

Management strategies to improve job satisfaction of principals in primary schools / Khumalo M.G.

OpenAIRE

Khumalo, Mapula Gertrude.

2012-01-01

The aim of this study is to optimise aspects of job satisfaction in the work environment to improve the effectiveness of primary school principals. Job dissatisfaction seems to be a worldwide problem in the education sector, even in South Africa a number of researches were conducted on job satisfaction. In this research the focus is on the following research questions: What is the nature of job satisfaction? Which factors contribute to the job satisfaction/dissatisfaction of primary school...

Evaluation of medical staff and patient satisfaction of Chinese hospitals and measures for improvement.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Min; Huang, Chengyu; Lu, Xiangchan; Chen, Siyuan; Zhao, Pan; Lu, Hongzhou

2015-06-01

Our goal is to establish criteria for evaluating satisfaction of medical staff and patients of Chinese hospitals and propose measures for improvement. A survey was conducted among medical staff and patients of infectious disease hospitals in three locations, i.e., Shanghai, Chongqing, and Nanning. The analyses included item analysis, factor analysis, reliability analysis, Pearson correlation and one-way analysis of variance. For the patient group, Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) = 0.973, Cronbach's α = 0.962 and the Pearson correlation coefficients among the five dimensions of satisfaction ranged from 0.583 to 0.795. For the medical staff group, KMO = 0.972, Cronbach's α = 0.970, and the Pearson correlation coefficients among the five dimensions of satisfaction ranged from 0.603 to 0.854. The means on the five dimensions of satisfaction for the patient group were 0.74 to 1.34, 0.81 to 1.17, 0.78 to 1.07, 0.89 to 1.34, and 0.71 to 1.10. The means on the five dimensions of satisfaction for the medical staff group were 0.17 to 1.03, ‒ 0.16 to 0.60, ‒ 0.18 to 0.74, 0.23 to 0.72, and ‒ 0.39 to 0.37. The clinicians were less satisfied with the hospitals than the patients. Medical staff and patients in Shanghai were relatively more satisfied. Improving the evaluation criteria and survey methods with respect to medical staff and patient satisfaction with Chinese hospitals may increase clinician and patient satisfaction and improve the health care environment in China.

Self-esteem, readiness for self-improvement and life satisfaction in Indian and Polish female students

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zawadzka Anna Maria

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The study examines the question of how personal self-esteem, collective self-esteem and readiness for self-improvement are linked to satisfaction with life in women from countries differing with regard to level of collectivism. Our study participants were Polish (less collectivistic and Indian (more collectivistic female students. The obtained results indicate that personal self-esteem plays a very important role in satisfaction with life of women from the two countries. However, collective self-esteem is not directly related to satisfaction with life among women from the two cultures analyzed. Structural Equation Modeling showed that: a in the Indian group readiness for self-improvement is more important for satisfaction with life than in the Polish group and it is significantly related to satisfaction with life through collectivistic self-esteem, b the direct influence of both personal and collective self-esteem on satisfaction with life is more significant in the Polish group than in the Indian group.

Boost Your Body: Self-Improvement Magazine Messages Increase Body Satisfaction in Young Adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Veldhuis, Jolanda; Konijn, Elly A; Knobloch-Westerwick, Silvia

2017-02-01

The verbal messages that contextualize exposure to idealized body imagery may moderate media users' body satisfaction. Such contextualizing verbal messages often take the form of social comparison motives in fashion magazines, while body dissatisfaction is an important mechanism underlying various body image-related health issues like depression and unbalanced weight status. Hence, the present study applied social comparison motives as induced through magazine cover messages. Hypotheses were tested in an experimental design with social comparison motives (self-improvement vs. self-evaluation vs. control) and recipient gender as between-subjects factors and body satisfaction as within-subjects factor (N = 150). Results showed that self-improvement messages accompanying ideal body media models increased body satisfaction, compared to control messages and baseline measures. In contrast, the self-evaluation messages did not impact body satisfaction. Results imply that inconsistencies regarding effects from exposure to idealized body imagery are explained by the context in which media images are portrayed, evoking differential social comparison motives. Moreover, the findings imply that health communication interventions can use verbal messages on body improvement as helpful tools, if they draw on social comparison motives effectively.

What makes a successful volunteer Expert Patients Programme tutor? Factors predicting satisfaction, productivity and intention to continue tutoring of a new public health workforce in the United Kingdom.

Science.gov (United States)

Macdonald, Wendy; Kontopantelis, Evangelos; Bower, Peter; Kennedy, Anne; Rogers, Anne; Reeves, David

2009-04-01

Better management of chronic conditions is a challenge for public health policy. The Expert Patients Programme was introduced into the United Kingdom to improve self-care in people with long-term conditions. To deliver self-care courses, the programme relies on the recruitment and continued commitment to delivering the courses of volunteer lay tutors who have long-term conditions. Ensuring the tutor workforce is productive, satisfied in their role and retained long-term is central to the viability of the programme. This exploratory study aimed to determine what factors predict productivity, intention to continue tutoring, and satisfaction in a sample of volunteer tutors from the Expert Patients Programme. A cross-sectional survey of 895 tutors was carried out and 518 (58%) responded. The questionnaire was designed to describe the characteristics, productivity, intention to continue tutoring, and satisfaction of tutors. Multiple linear regression analyses were used to examine the determinants of productivity, intention to continue tutoring, and satisfaction, such as patient demographics, attitudes, physical and mental health, mastery and self-esteem. Attitudes relating to personal goals, and better health were significant predictors of satisfaction with the tutor role. Only a small proportion of the variance in productivity was accounted for, and tutors were more likely to be productive when they were single, homeowners, car owners, and had lower scores on the depression scale. Overall satisfaction and personal goals were predictors of intention to continue tutoring. Demographic factors, health measures and attitudes each predicted different aspects of the experience of work conducted by the volunteer tutors. The results should prove useful for planning interventions to enhance the success of this new workforce initiative. Attempts to increase participation in courses by people from deprived backgrounds are likely to be enhanced if tutors come from similar

Expanding Continuous Quality Improvement Capacity in the Medical Intensive Care Unit: Prehealth Volunteers as a Solution.

Science.gov (United States)

Priest, Kelsey C; Lobingier, Hannah; McCully, Nancy; Lombard, Jackie; Hansen, Mark; Uchiyama, Makoto; Hagg, Daniel S

2016-01-01

Health care delivery systems are challenged to support the increasing demands for improving patient safety, satisfaction, and outcomes. Limited resources and staffing are common barriers for making significant and sustained improvements. At Oregon Health & Science University, the medical intensive care unit (MICU) leadership team faced internal capacity limitations for conducting continuous quality improvement, specifically for the implementation and evaluation of the mobility portion of an evidence-based care bundle. The MICU team successfully addressed this capacity challenge using the person power of prehealth volunteers. In the first year of the project, 52 trained volunteers executed an evidence-based mobility intervention for 305 critically ill patients, conducting more than 200 000 exercise repetitions. The volunteers contributed to real-time evaluation of the project, with the collection of approximately 26 950 process measure data points. Prehealth volunteers are an untapped resource for effectively expanding internal continuous quality improvement capacity in the MICU and beyond.

Using evidence to improve satisfaction with medication side-effects education on a neuro-medical surgical unit.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahrens, Susan L; Wirges, Ashley M

2013-10-01

Patient satisfaction is viewed as a significant indicator of quality of care. More specifically, improving patient satisfaction related to communication about medications and potential side effects can improve healthcare outcomes. Patient satisfaction scores related to medication side effects on a neuro-medical surgical unit were monitored following a quality improvement program. These patients frequently experience cognitive impairment and functional difficulties that can affect the way they understand and handle medications. The purpose of this quality improvement practice change was to (a) develop an educational approach for post acute neurosurgical patients and (b) evaluate whether the use of the approach is successful in improving patient satisfaction scores related to medication education on side effects. The quality improvement program interventions included (a) patient informational handouts inserted into admission folders, (b) nurse education about the importance of providing education on side effects to patient and discussion of their involvement with the program, (c) unit flyers with nurse education, and (d) various communications with bedside nurses through personal work mail and emails. The primary focus was for nurses to employ the "teach back" method to review and reinforce the medication side-effect teaching with patients. Evaluation of the data showed an increase in patient satisfaction after the implementation of the "Always Ask" program.

Continuous Personal Improvement.

Science.gov (United States)

Emiliani, M. L.

1998-01-01

Suggests that continuous improvement tools used in the workplace can be applied to self-improvement. Explains the use of such techniques as one-piece flow, kanban, visual controls, and total productive maintenance. Points out misapplications of these tools and describes the use of fishbone diagrams to diagnose problems. (SK)

Patients' satisfaction ratings and their desire for care improvement across oncology settings from France, Italy, Poland and Sweden.

Science.gov (United States)

Brédart, A; Robertson, C; Razavi, D; Batel-Copel, L; Larsson, G; Lichosik, D; Meyza, J; Schraub, S; von Essen, L; de Haes, J C J M

2003-01-01

There has been an increasing interest in patient satisfaction assessment across nations recently. This paper reports on a cross-cultural comparison of the comprehensive assessment of satisfaction with care (CASC) response scales. We investigated what proportion of patients wanted care improvement for the same level of satisfaction across samples from oncology settings in France, Italy, Poland and Sweden, and whether age, gender, education level and type of items affected the relationships found. The CASC addresses patient's satisfaction with the care received in oncology hospitals. Patients are invited to rate aspects of care and to mention for each of these aspects, whether they would want improvement.One hundred and forty, 395, 186 and 133 consecutive patients were approached in oncology settings from France, Italy, Poland and Sweden, respectively. Across country settings, an increasing percentage of patients wanted care improvement for decreasing levels of satisfaction. However, in France a higher percentage of patients wanted care improvement for high-satisfaction ratings whereas in Poland a lower percentage of patients wanted care improvement for low-satisfaction ratings. Age and education level had a similar effect across countries. Confronting levels of satisfaction with desire for care improvement appeared useful in comprehending the meaning of response choice labels for the CASC across oncology settings from different linguistic and cultural background. Linguistic or socio-cultural differences were suggested for explaining discrepancies between countries. Copyright 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Measuring of customer satisfaction on example of Delta DMD

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kostić Ela

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Companies which do business in today's competitive environment, has to continuously work on improvement of theirs products and services, based on customers' needs. Most widely used method for examine customer expectations and measuring satisfaction is researches, which goal is to evaluate company performance from customer angle and to give management tool for strategic planning. Surveys results have to be used as a base for defining improvements areas. In this article is shown example of company Delta DMD which do customer satisfaction researches twice a year, since 2007, and results of latest researches with guidelines for further improvements in company. .

Continuous quality improvement

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Rohlin, Madeleine; Schaub, Rob M.H.; Holbrook, Peter; Leibur, Edvitar; Lévy, Gérard; Roubalikova, Lenka; Nilner, Maria; Roger-Leroi, Valerie; Danner, Gunter; Iseri, Haluk; Feldman, Cecile

2002-01-01

Versch. in: Eur J Dent Educ; 6 (Suppl. 3): 67–77 Continuous quality improvement (CQI) can be envisaged as a circular process of goal-setting, followed by external and internal evaluations resulting in improvements that can serve as goals for a next cycle. The need for CQI is apparent, because of

Hope, self-efficacy, spiritual well-being and job satisfaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Duggleby, Wendy; Cooper, Dan; Penz, Kelly

2009-11-01

Hope, self-efficacy, spiritual well-being and job satisfaction. This paper is a report of a study of the relations of spiritual well-being, global job satisfaction, and general self-efficacy to hope in Continuing Care Assistants. Healthcare providers have described their hope as an important part of their work and a form of work motivation. Hope may be an important factor in preventing burnout and improving job satisfaction. A concurrent triangulation mixed method design was used. Sixty-four Continuing Care Assistants (personal care aides) who registered for a 'Living with Hope' Conference completed a demographic form, Herth Hope Index, Global Job Satisfaction Questionnaire, Spiritual Well-Being Scale, General Self-Efficacy Scale, and a hope questionnaire. Data were collected in 2007. The response rate was 58%. Using linear regression, 29.9% of the variance in Herth Hope Index score was accounted for by scores from the General Self-Efficacy Scale and Spiritual Well-Being Scale. General Self-efficacy scores (positive relationship) and Spiritual Well-Being scores (negative relationship) accounted for a significant part of the variance. Qualitative data supported all findings, with the exception of the negative relationship between hope and spiritual well-being; participants wrote that faith, relationships, helping others and positive thinking helped them to have hope. They also wrote that hope had a positive influence on their job satisfaction and performance. Hope is an important concept in the work life of Continuing Care Assistants. Supportive relationships, adequate resources, encouragement by others, and improving perceptions of self-efficacy (ability to achieve goals in their workplace) may foster their hope.

Effect of Work Improvement for Promotion of Outpatient Satisfaction on CT scan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Han, Man Seok; Kim, Tae Hyung; Lee, Seung Youl; Lee, Myeong Goo; Jeon, Min Cheol; Cho, Jae Hwan

2012-01-01

Nowadays, most of the hospital serves 'one stop service' for CT scan. The patients could be taken the CT scan in the day they register for scan. On the contrary to the time convenience, patients are not satisfied with long waiting time and unkindness of staff. The objective of this study is to improve the patient's satisfaction for the CT scan, by analyzing inconvenience factors and improving the service qualities. From April 1 to August 30 in 2011, we investigated the satisfaction of patients who did examined abdomen CT scan with contrast media. We analyzed the 89 questionnaires before and after the service improvements from them. The worker's kindness, the environment of CT room and understanding about CT scan were answered by questionnaire and the waiting time of a day CT scan was drawn by medical information statistics. Also, the period before improvement was from April to June and the period after improvement was from July to September. And these questionnaire was analyzed through SPSS V. 15.0. In this study, kindness of staff, environment of CT room, intelligibility for CT scan and waiting time was explored and analyzed by SPSS V.15.0. The score of kindness was improved by 32%, satisfaction level of the environment was improved by 52.54%. The understanding level about CT scan was improved by 52.36% and the waiting time of a day CT was shortened by 21% through our service enhancement programs. Consequentially, it is considered that these efforts would contribute to increase the revenue of hospital.

Effect of Work Improvement for Promotion of Outpatient Satisfaction on CT scan

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Han, Man Seok; Kim, Tae Hyung [Dept. of Radiological Science, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Seung Youl; Lee, Myeong Goo; Jeon, Min Cheol [Dept. of Radiology, Chungnam National University Hospital, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Cho, Jae Hwan [Dept. of Radiological Science, Gyeongsan University College, Daegu (Korea, Republic of)

2012-03-15

Nowadays, most of the hospital serves 'one stop service' for CT scan. The patients could be taken the CT scan in the day they register for scan. On the contrary to the time convenience, patients are not satisfied with long waiting time and unkindness of staff. The objective of this study is to improve the patient's satisfaction for the CT scan, by analyzing inconvenience factors and improving the service qualities. From April 1 to August 30 in 2011, we investigated the satisfaction of patients who did examined abdomen CT scan with contrast media. We analyzed the 89 questionnaires before and after the service improvements from them. The worker's kindness, the environment of CT room and understanding about CT scan were answered by questionnaire and the waiting time of a day CT scan was drawn by medical information statistics. Also, the period before improvement was from April to June and the period after improvement was from July to September. And these questionnaire was analyzed through SPSS V. 15.0. In this study, kindness of staff, environment of CT room, intelligibility for CT scan and waiting time was explored and analyzed by SPSS V.15.0. The score of kindness was improved by 32%, satisfaction level of the environment was improved by 52.54%. The understanding level about CT scan was improved by 52.36% and the waiting time of a day CT was shortened by 21% through our service enhancement programs. Consequentially, it is considered that these efforts would contribute to increase the revenue of hospital.

Establishing a Nurse Mentor Program to Improve Nurse Satisfaction and Intent to Stay.

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, Sara Jane

Mentoring is an intervention to foster development and socialization of new registered nurses to an organization or unit. A nurse mentor program was developed and implemented with the purpose to improve new registered nurse satisfaction and intent to stay. A pre- and postintervention design was used in a rural emergency department to evaluate nurse job satisfaction and intent to stay in the job. Intent to stay in the job mean scores increased, and the registered nurse participants reported program satisfaction through verbal and written feedback.

Patient satisfaction and barriers to initiating real-time continuous glucose monitoring in early pregnancy in women with diabetes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Secher, A L; Madsen, A B; Nielsen, Lene Ringholm

2012-01-01

of initial monitoring). Ten women (15%) did not wish to use continuous glucose monitoring again in pregnancy. Main causes behind early removal of continuous glucose monitoring were self-reported skin irritation, technical problems and continuous glucose monitoring inaccuracy. No differences were found......Aim: To evaluate self-reported satisfaction and barriers to initiating real-time continuous glucose monitoring in early pregnancy among women with pregestational diabetes. Methods: Fifty-four women with Type 1 diabetes and 14 women with Type 2 diabetes were offered continuous glucose monitoring...

Entrepreneurship Education: Non-Linearity in the Satisfaction – Continuation Relationship = Podjetniško izobraževanje: nelineranost v razmerju med zadovoljstvom in nadaljevanjem izobraževanja

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Boštjan Antoncic

2007-06-01

Full Text Available In this paper we propose one possible explanation of the interrelationships between education continuation or avoidance, satisfaction level, and experience (entrepreneurial maturity of potential and practicing entrepreneurs. By using the cusp catastrophe model we propose that relationship between education satisfaction and continuation tends to be linear for less experienced entrepreneurs (pre-entrepreneurs, whereas for more experienced entrepreneurs the relationship is proposed to be positive but non-linear (s-shaped. Data were collected with a structured questionnaire from 122 participants in management and entrepreneurship education and training programs. The proposed model was tested with linear and non-linear regression equations. The relationship between satisfaction and continuation (loyalty was found to be positive for all entrepreneurial and nonentrepreneurial groups. The appropriate functional form for the satisfaction-continuation relationship discovered for non-entrepreneurs and people that are only thinking about entrepreneurship (maybe-entrepreneurs is close to linear and less steep than for more entrepreneurial groups. By contrast, prospective entrepreneurs (people in the process of pre-start up and practicing entrepreneurs tend to be more sensitive to their education satisfaction in their future education continuation decisions. The appropriate functional form for these entrepreneurial groups tends to be cubical, which is close to the s-shaped function proposed in the cusp model. The study provided evidence that the relationships between entrepreneurial maturity, education satisfaction and education continuation may be modeled as a cusp catastrophe model. The proposed model can be helpful for education and for training providers (and marketers in explaining and predicting of education loyalty or the switching behavior of entrepreneurs.

The impact of work-life balance on employees' job satisfaction and turnover intention: the moderating role of continuance commitment

OpenAIRE

Aslani, Farshad; Fayyazi, Marjan

2015-01-01

Work-life imbalance has several negative impacts on employees' attitudes and behaviors and consequently influences organizations' performance and effectiveness. The purpose of this article is to investigate the impact of work-life balance (WLB) on employees' job satisfaction and turnover intention. Moreover, we study the moderating role of continuance commitment on job satisfaction - turnover intention relationship. Regression analysis was used to analyze the data collected from 265 questionn...

Perspectives: The Continuous Improvement Trap

Science.gov (United States)

Arnold, David L.

2011-01-01

Accrediting agencies, legislators, pundits, and even higher educational professionals have become enamored with applying the language of continuous improvement to learning outcomes. The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges specifically uses the term "continuing improvement" in Core Standard 2.5, one of its…

Improvement of the customer satisfaction through Quality Assurance Matrix and QC-Story methods: A case study from automotive industry

Science.gov (United States)

Sicoe, G. M.; Belu, N.; Rachieru, N.; Nicolae, E. V.

2017-10-01

Presently, in the automotive industry, the tendency is to adapt permanently to the changes and introduce the market tendency in the new products that leads of the customer satisfaction. Many quality techniques were adopted in this field to continuous improvement of product and process quality and advantages were also gained. The present paper has focused on possibilities that offers the use of Quality Assurance Matrix (QAM) and Quality Control Story (QC Story) to provide largest protection against nonconformities in the production process, throughout a case study in the automotive industry. There is a direct relationship from the QAM to a QC Story analysis. The failures identified using QAM are treated with QC Story methodology. Using this methods, will help to decrease the PPM values and will increase the quality performance and the customer satisfaction.

Continuous quality improvement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bourne, P.B.

1985-01-01

This paper describes the various statistical tools used at the Hanford Engineering Development Laboratory to achieve continuous quality improvement in the development of Breeder Reactor Technology and in reactor operations. The role of the quality assurance professionals in this process, including quantifiable measurements using actual examples, is provided. The commitment to quality improvement through top management involvement is dramatically illustrated

House of Quality (HoQ) as a tool for improvement customer satisfaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fazila Said; Noriah Mod Ali; Siti Mariam Ibrahim

2010-01-01

Full-text: Improvements to the customer satisfaction level is an important agenda today for the preservation of a quality certification. This study shows where the critical attributes or Voice of Customers, VOC-interest analysis of the results of Importance Performance Analysis (IPA). Questionnaires from our four customer service centers at Malaysian Nuclear Agency has been used in developing the House of Quality (HoQ). The innovation of HoQ is one of the simple and attractive services that display comprehensive information covering the needs of customers (VOC), the technical response, the correlation of technical, communication matrix, technical and planning division. Therefore, the information obtained from HoQ can be used in assisting the top management planning in accordance with the priority improvement activities to improve customer satisfaction levels in the near future. (author)

Continuous improvement in pursuit of quality (presidential address to the Midland Institute Branch of the Institute of Mining Engineers)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Siddall, R G [British Coal Corporation (United Kingdom). South Yorkshire Group

1993-03-01

The author considers that quality must be a central element in the future strategy of the UK coal mining industry. This quality approach should be all embracing and extend beyond physical performance to include safety, effective use of capital, customer satisfaction, environmental pressures and overall image. The address discusses, the current position in British Coal; strategic planning; the need for continuous improvement; and productivity and production problems.

Job satisfaction among Australian doctors: the use of latent class analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Joyce, Catherine; Wang, Wei Chun

2015-10-01

To identify patterns of job satisfaction among Australian doctors using latent class analysis, and to determine the relationships of these patterns to personal and professional characteristics so as to improve satisfaction and minimize medical wastage. MABEL (Medicine in Australia: Balancing Employment and Life) data in 2011 were used. The study collected information on 5764 doctors about their job satisfaction, demographic characteristics, their health, country of medical training, opportunities for professional development and social interaction, taking time off work, views of patients' expectations, unpredictable working hours, hours worked per week, preference to reduce hours and intention to leave the medical workforce. Four latent classes of job satisfaction were identified: 5.8% had high job satisfaction; 19.4% had low satisfaction with working hours; 16.1% had high satisfaction with working hours but felt undervalued; and 6.5% had low job satisfaction. Low job satisfaction was associated with reporting poor health, having trained outside Australia, having poor opportunities for professional development and working longer hours. Low satisfaction was associated with a preference to reduce work hours and an intention to leave the medical workforce. To improve job satisfaction and minimize medical wastage, policies need to address needs of overseas trained doctors, provide continuing professional development and provide good health care for doctors. © The Author(s) 2015.

One-year sobriety improves satisfaction with life, executive functions and psychological distress among patients with polysubstance use disorder.

Science.gov (United States)

Hagen, Egon; Erga, Aleksander H; Hagen, Katrin P; Nesvåg, Sverre M; McKay, James R; Lundervold, Astri J; Walderhaug, Espen

2017-05-01

Polysubstance use disorder is prevalent in treatment-seeking patients with substance use disorder (SUD), with a higher risk of developing comorbid psychiatric symptoms, more pervasive deficits in cognitive functions, and inferior treatment results. The present study investigates if individuals with polysubstance use disorder who achieve at least one year of abstinence show greater improvements in satisfaction with life, executive functions, and psychological distress, compared to relapsers and controls. The prospective recovery from polysubstance use disorder assessed with broad output indicators remains understudied. A better understanding of the pattern of recovery of the chosen output indicators could shed light on the recovery process for this group of patients. We investigated changes in satisfaction with life, executive functions and psychological distress over a period of 12months in patients who remained abstinent and in those who relapsed. Subjects with polysubstance use disorder (N=115) were recruited from outpatient and residential treatment facilities; healthy controls (N=34) were recruited by posters exhibited at social welfare and GP offices. Executive functions were assessed by the Behaviour Rating Inventory of Executive Function-Adult self-report version (BRIEF-A), psychological distress by the Symptom Checklist-90-R (SCL-90-R), and satisfaction with life by the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS). Substance use was assessed by self-reports on the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) and the Drug Use Disorders Identification Test (DUDIT). Participants were categorized as "relapsers" if they had AUDIT score ≥8, or DUDIT score ≥2 for women and ≥6 for men. Results indicated that the abstinent group had the greatest improvement on all the indicators compared with relapsers and controls. Participants who successfully quit substance use for one year showed improved satisfaction with life, executive functions, and psychological distress

Baseline budgeting for continuous improvement.

Science.gov (United States)

Kilty, G L

1999-05-01

This article is designed to introduce the techniques used to convert traditionally maintained department budgets to baseline budgets. This entails identifying key activities, evaluating for value-added, and implementing continuous improvement opportunities. Baseline Budgeting for Continuous Improvement was created as a result of a newly named company president's request to implement zero-based budgeting. The president was frustrated with the mind-set of the organization, namely, "Next year's budget should be 10 to 15 percent more than this year's spending." Zero-based budgeting was not the answer, but combining the principles of activity-based costing and the Just-in-Time philosophy of eliminating waste and continuous improvement did provide a solution to the problem.

How to measure employee satisfaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Castillejo, A.

1998-01-01

Competitiveness is impossible without satisfied employees. Excellent organisations base their success on customer loyalty, providing products and services which exceed expectations, which are always increasing. For this reason it is necessary to continually improve the organisation's performance and, therefore the activities which lead to this performance. This is not possible to do without the involvement and commitment of the persons carrying out the activities: employees. The presentation places employee satisfaction within the EFQM Business Excellent Model. The persons most adequate for improving the activities carried out by the organisation are those most familiar with them: employees. To bring this about it is necessary to develop capacities, provide tools necessary for improvement, and provide adequate motivation; indeed, satisfy them. In a society such as today's human resources are the most valuable asset. The aim of the presentation is to introduce the Coopers and Lybrand-Galdano model to measure employee satisfaction, based on the comparison of expectations and perceptions with respect to the organisation. (Author)

International Students' Course Satisfaction and Continuance Behavioral Intention in Higher Education Setting: An Empirical Assessment in Malaysia

Science.gov (United States)

Shahijan, Milad Kalantari; Rezaei, Sajad; Amin, Muslim

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of perceived brand orientation, intercultural friendship, and university reputation on international students' course satisfaction and continuance behavioral intention towards the higher education in Malaysia. A total of 348 questionnaires, administered on international students, were collected to…

Introduction of a Surgical Navigator in the Perioperative Process Improves Patient Satisfaction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Brett G Marshall

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Background: Patients who had received surgical services at Bellin Hospital reported anxiety with the surgical flow. This study tested the hypothesis that the introduction of a surgical navigator, someone who guided the patient and their accompanying others throughout the surgical process, would improve patient satisfaction. Methods: Ambulatory surgical patients were randomized to control and study groups. The study group patients were assigned a surgical navigator. Prior to discharge from the hospital, patients were asked to complete a patient satisfaction survey. Results: The study group had significantly higher mean scores (P value ≤ 0.026, top box scores (P value ≤ 0.021, and positive comments. Conclusion: The addition of a surgical navigator to the perioperative process significantly enhanced patient satisfaction in ambulatory surgical patients.

[Measurement of customer satisfaction and participation of citizens in improving the quality of healthcare services.].

Science.gov (United States)

Degrassi, Flori; Sopranzi, Cristina; Leto, Antonella; Amato, Simona; D'Urso, Antonio

2009-01-01

Managing quality in health care whilst ensuring equity is a fundamental aspect of the provision of services by healthcare organizations. Measuring perceived quality of care is an important tool for evaluating the quality of healthcare delivery in that it allows the implementation of corrective actions to meet the healthcare needs of patients. The Rome B (ASL RMB) local health authority adopted the UNI EN 10006:2006 norms as a management tool, therefore introducing the evaluation of customer satisfaction as an opportunity to involve users in the creation of quality healthcare services with and for the citizens. This paper presents the activities implemented and the results achieved with regards to shared and integrated continuous improvement of services.

Family satisfaction with critical care: measurements and messages.

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Rothen, Hans U; Stricker, Kay H; Heyland, Daren K

2010-12-01

Family satisfaction in the ICU reflects the extent to which perceived needs and expectations of family members of critically ill patients are met by healthcare professionals. Here, we present recently developed tools to assess family satisfaction, with a special focus on their psychometric properties. Assessing family satisfaction, however, is not of much use if it is not followed by interpretation of the results and, if needed, consecutive measures to improve care of the patients and their families, or improvement in communication and decision-making. Accordingly, this review will outline recent findings in this field. Finally, possible areas of future research are addressed. To assess family satisfaction in the ICU, several domains deserve attention. They include, among others, care of the patient, counseling and emotional support of family members, information and decision-making. Overall, communication between physicians or nurses and members of the family remains a key topic, and there are many opportunities to improve. They include not only communication style, timing and appropriate wording but also, for example, assessments to see if information was adequately received and also understood. Whether unfulfilled needs of individual members of the family or of the family as a social system result in negative long-term sequels remains an open question. Assessing and analyzing family satisfaction in the ICU ultimately will support healthcare professionals in their continuing effort to improve care of critically ill patients and their families.

Caring for inpatient boarders in the emergency department: improving safety and patient and staff satisfaction.

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Bornemann-Shepherd, Melanie; Le-Lazar, Jamie; Makic, Mary Beth Flynn; DeVine, Deborah; McDevitt, Kelly; Paul, Marcee

2015-01-01

Hospital capacity constraints lead to large numbers of inpatients being held for extended periods in the emergency department. This creates concerns with safety, quality of care, and dissatisfaction of patients and staff. The aim of this quality-improvement project was to improve satisfaction and processes in which nurses provided care to inpatient boarders held in the emergency department. A quality-improvement project framework that included the use of a questionnaire was used to ascertain employee and patient dissatisfaction and identify opportunities for improvement. A task force was created to develop action plans related to holding and caring for inpatients in the emergency department. A questionnaire was sent to nursing staff in spring 2012, and responses from the questionnaire identified improvements that could be implemented to improve care for inpatient boarders. Situation-background-assessment-recommendation (SBAR) communications and direct observations were also used to identify specific improvements. Post-questionnaire results indicated improved satisfaction for both staff and patients. It was recognized early that the ED inpatient area would benefit from the supervision of an inpatient director, managers, and staff. Outcomes showed that creating an inpatient unit within the emergency department had a positive effect on staff and patient satisfaction. Copyright © 2015 Emergency Nurses Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Service quality that improves customer satisfaction in a university: a case study in Institut Teknologi Indonesia

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Theresia, L.; Bangun, R.

2017-12-01

Universities should provide better service quality to get more customers. The purpose of this study was to find service quality which has impact on the increasing of customer satisfaction in a university. This study is a case study in Institut Teknologi Indonesia (ITI). The result of the study will help ITI to improve its service quality to increase customer satisfaction. This study employs path analysis technique. The data were collected through questionnaires developed from the literature. Questionnaires have two parts namely 1) service quality and 2) customer satisfaction. Service quality is measured through 22 questions with five service quality dimensions: 1) Tangibles, 2) Reliability, 3) Responsiveness, 4) Assurance and 5) Empathy. Customer Satisfaction is measured through 4 questions. The data then are processed by SPSS. The results showed that the students preferred to tangible quality improvement than intangible aspect.

Do Bedside Visual Tools Improve Patient and Caregiver Satisfaction? A Systematic Review of the Literature.

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Goyal, Anupama A; Tur, Komalpreet; Mann, Jason; Townsend, Whitney; Flanders, Scott A; Chopra, Vineet

2017-11-01

Although common, the impact of low-cost bedside visual tools, such as whiteboards, on patient care is unclear. To systematically review the literature and assess the influence of bedside visual tools on patient satisfaction. Medline, Embase, SCOPUS, Web of Science, CINAHL, and CENTRAL. Studies of adult or pediatric hospitalized patients reporting physician identification, understanding of provider roles, patient-provider communication, and satisfaction with care from the use of visual tools were included. Outcomes were categorized as positive, negative, or neutral based on survey responses for identification, communication, and satisfaction. Two reviewers screened studies, extracted data, and assessed the risk of study bias. Sixteen studies met the inclusion criteria. Visual tools included whiteboards (n = 4), physician pictures (n = 7), whiteboard and picture (n = 1), electronic medical record-based patient portals (n = 3), and formatted notepads (n = 1). Tools improved patients' identification of providers (13/13 studies). The impact on understanding the providers' roles was largely positive (8/10 studies). Visual tools improved patient-provider communication (4/5 studies) and satisfaction (6/8 studies). In adults, satisfaction varied between positive with the use of whiteboards (2/5 studies) and neutral with pictures (1/5 studies). Satisfaction related to pictures in pediatric patients was either positive (1/3 studies) or neutral (1/3 studies). Differences in tool format (individual pictures vs handouts with pictures of all providers) and study design (randomized vs cohort) may explain variable outcomes. The use of bedside visual tools appears to improve patient recognition of providers and patient-provider communication. Future studies that include better design and outcome assessment are necessary before widespread use can be recommended. © 2017 Society of Hospital Medicine

Continuous Improvement in Schools: Understanding the Practice

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Anderson, Stephen; Kumari, Roshni

2009-01-01

This article investigates conceptually and practically what it means for schools to engage in the practice of continuous improvement. The analysis draws upon prior research and discussion to predict core elements of the practice of continuous improvement in schools. The predictions are then applied to a case study of continuous improvement efforts…

Analysis of Customer Loyalty through Total Quality Service, Customer Relationship Management and Customer Satisfaction

Science.gov (United States)

Binsar Kristian P., Feliks Anggia; Panjaitan, Hotman

2014-01-01

This research talks about total quality service and customer relationship management effects toward customer satisfaction and its impact on customer loyalty. Fast food restaurant KFC, always strives to continue to make improvements in total quality service, so that customer satisfaction can be maintained, which in turn will have an impact on…

Improving efficiency and patient satisfaction in a tertiary teaching hospital preoperative clinic.

Science.gov (United States)

Harnett, Miriam J P; Correll, Darin J; Hurwitz, Shelley; Bader, Angela M; Hepner, David L

2010-01-01

Clinical and organizational aspects of the preoperative visit can have a significant impact on patient satisfaction. The authors' previous work demonstrated that communication of information from the clinician to the patient was found to be the most positively rated component, whereas organizational issues, particularly waiting time, were the most negative. This study compares two yearly cycles of patient satisfaction surveys to assess the process and impact of implementation of changes. The authors distributed a one-page questionnaire, consisting of elements evaluating satisfaction with clinical providers and with organizational aspects of the visit, to patients in their preoperative clinic during two different time periods. Fourteen different questions had five Likert scale options ranging from excellent to poor. Changes implemented included clerical, scheduling, and clinical changes. The overall collection rate of completed questionnaires was 79%. The scores for each question in Cycle 2 were higher for all questions, with 3 of 14 reaching statistical significance (P customer service, and implementation of changes in provider roles. These modifications resulted in an improvement in patient satisfaction and a reduction in waiting time with minimal economic impact.

Program Support and Value of Training in Mentors' Satisfaction and Anticipated Continuation of School-Based Mentoring Relationships

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McQuillin, Samuel D.; Straight, Gerald G.; Saeki, Elina

2015-01-01

In this study, we tested a theoretical model of training practices in school-based mentoring by comparing the differences between two mentoring programs on mentor-reported program support, value of training, relationship satisfaction, and plans to continue mentoring. The two mentoring programs that we compared were conducted at the same school and…

The impact of quality management on patient satisfaction in a hospital: brief report

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Ali Mohammad Mosadeghrad

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Background: Patient satisfaction is an important indicator of healthcare quality and effectiveness. Quality management as an organizational strategy enhances the quality of hospital services through continuously improving hospital structures and processes. This study aimed to examine the impact of quality management on patient satisfaction. Methods: A participatory action research was conducted in respiratory intensive care unit, at Labafinejad hospital, Tehran, Iran, in 2013. A quality improvement team was established. Operational processes were improved using a quality management model. The quality improvement team standardized processes, identified quality goals for the processes and improved them until achieved quality goals. Patients’ satisfaction data was collected before and after the intervention using a valid and reliable questionnaire. Results: Patients’ satisfaction was 75 percent at the beginning of the study. Patients were mostly dissatisfied with the nutrition services, amenities, lack of attention to their personal needs and lack of involving them in their treatment processes. An action plan was developed for improving patient satisfaction. After the quality management intervention, patient satisfaction reached to 81 percent at the end of this study. The quality management model improved the quality of services by 54.5 percent and consequently increased patient satisfaction by 7.2 percent. Almost half of the patients at the beginning of this study were definitely willing to recommend the hospital to their friends and relatives. This figure increased to 76 percent. The rest of patients stated that they may recommend the hospital to others. Conclusion: Implementing an appropriate quality management model appropriately in a supportive environment helps improve the quality of services and enhance patient satisfaction and loyalty.

RN Job Satisfaction and Retention After an Interprofessional Team Intervention.

Science.gov (United States)

Baik, Dawon; Zierler, Brenda

2018-04-01

Despite continuing interest in interprofessional teamwork to improve nurse outcomes and quality of care, there is little research that focuses on nurse job satisfaction and retention after an interprofessional team intervention. This study explored registered nurse (RN) job satisfaction and retention after a purposeful interprofessional team training and structured interprofessional bedside rounds were implemented. As part of a larger study, in this comparative cross-sectional study, pre- and post-intervention data on RN job satisfaction and turnover rate were collected and analyzed. It was found that RNs had significantly higher job satisfaction after the interprofessional team intervention. The 6-month period turnover rate in the post-intervention period was slightly lower than the 6-month period turnover rate in pre-intervention period; however, the rate was too low to provide statistical evidence. Ongoing coaching and supportive work environments to improve RN outcomes should be considered to enhance quality of care and patient safety in healthcare.

The impact of the logistics management in customer satisfaction

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Ghoumrassi Amine

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Logistics management is one of nowadays tools to face economic challenges; it’s a mix of business and core activities of the organization. The supply and distribution activities integrated together form what’s known as logistics activities. The logistics activities within a business organization attempt to satisfy customers through achieving the time and location related market challenges and also through the cost of the service provided as well as the quality, taking into consideration customers needs and purchase power. Customer satisfaction is important because it provides marketers and business owners with a metric that they can use to manage and improve their businesses. Customer satisfaction is also a way to determinate the continuity of the business or of a product life by measuring the loyalty of the customers. If the customers are happy and satisfied, it will ensure the continuity of sales which means the continuity of the business. In the past customer satisfaction was more focused on requirements such as quality and reliability reducing costs of poor quality. In mid 50’s the production costs were continuously increasing, The way to maintain the company’s position within a changing market and increase profit starts by focusing on the service provided to the customer and on decreasing the cost, logistics activities became the backbone of these organizations that target the customer satisfaction while achieving competitive advantage. This study aims to show the impact of the logistics management on customer satisfaction in small and mid-sized Algerian industrial companies, by interviewing the companies managers and everybody in charge of the logistic process, the interview questions will be based on some literature review issues.

Analysis of Student Satisfaction Toward Quality of Service Facility

Science.gov (United States)

Napitupulu, D.; Rahim, R.; Abdullah, D.; Setiawan, MI; Abdillah, LA; Ahmar, AS; Simarmata, J.; Hidayat, R.; Nurdiyanto, H.; Pranolo, A.

2018-01-01

The development of higher education is very rapid rise to the tight competition both public universities and private colleges. XYZ University realized to win the competition, required continuous quality improvement, including the quality of existing service facilities. Amenities quality services is believed to support the success of the learning activities and improve user satisfaction. This study aims to determine the extent to which the quality of the services effect on user satisfaction. The research method used is survey-based questionnaire that measure perception and expectation. The results showed a gap between perception and expectations of the respondents have a negative value for each item. This means XYZ service facility at the university is not currently meet the expectations of society members. Three service facility that has the lowest index is based on the perception of respondents is a laboratory (2.56), computer and multimedia (2.63) as well as wifi network (2.99). The magnitude of the correlation between satisfaction with the quality of service facilities is 0.725 which means a strong and positive relationship. The influence of the quality of service facilities to the satisfaction of the students is 0.525 meaning that the variable quality of the services facility can explain 52.5% of the variable satisfaction. The study provided recommendations for improvements to enhance the quality of services facility at the XYZ university facilities.

A strategy for improving worker satisfaction and job attitudes in a repetitive industrial task: application of production standards and performance feedback.

Science.gov (United States)

Shikdar, Ashraf A; Das, Biman

2003-04-15

Worker satisfaction improved significantly as a consequence of the provision of the assigned and participative standards with performance feedback in a repetitive industrial production task. The maximum improvement in worker satisfaction was found for the participative standard and feedback condition. Only this condition had a significant positive effect on worker job attitudes. Monetary incentive, when provided with an assigned or participative standard with feedback, added no incremental worker satisfaction or job attitudes gain. The participative standard with feedback condition emerges as the optimum strategy for improving worker satisfaction and job attitudes in a repetitive industrial production task.

Continuous improvement process and waste reduction through a QFD tool: the case of a metallurgic plant

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Leoni Pentiado Godoy

2013-05-01

Full Text Available This paper proposes the use of QFD for the continuous improvement of production processes and waste reduction actions. To collect the information we used the simple observation and questionnaire with closed questions applied to employees, representing 88.75% of the population that works in the production processes of an industry of metal-mechanic sector, located inRio Grandedo Sul. QFD is an effective method of quality planning, because it provides a diagnosis that underpins the definition of improvement actions aimed at combating waste. Actions were set providing improved communication between the sectors, enabling the delivery of products with specifications that meet customer requirements, on time and the right amounts, at a minimum cost and satisfaction of those involved with the company. The implementation of these actions reduces waste, minimizes the extra work, maximizes effective labor and increases profitability.

Physician Order Entry Clerical Support Improves Physician Satisfaction and Productivity.

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Contratto, Erin; Romp, Katherine; Estrada, Carlos A; Agne, April; Willett, Lisa L

2017-05-01

To examine the impact of clerical support personnel for physician order entry on physician satisfaction, productivity, timeliness with electronic health record (EHR) documentation, and physician attitudes. All seven part-time physicians at an academic general internal medicine practice were included in this quasi-experimental (single group, pre- and postintervention) mixed-methods study. One full-time clerical support staff member was trained and hired to enter physician orders in the EHR and conduct previsit planning. Physician satisfaction, productivity, timeliness with EHR documentation, and physician attitudes toward the intervention were measured. Four months after the intervention, physicians reported improvements in overall quality of life (good quality, 71%-100%), personal balance (43%-71%), and burnout (weekly, 43%-14%; callousness, 14%-0%). Matched for quarter, productivity increased: work relative value unit (wRVU) per session increased by 20.5% (before, April-June 2014; after, April-June 2015; range -9.2% to 27.5%). Physicians reported feeling more supported, more focused on patient care, and less stressed and fatigued after the intervention. This study supports the use of physician order entry clerical personnel as a simple, cost-effective intervention to improve the work lives of primary care physicians.

Patient satisfaction with cataract surgery

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Wasfi Ehab I

2008-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Introduction Measuring the patient satisfaction is a very important issue that will help very much in improving the service provided to patients and improve the level of satisfaction. Aim To evaluate patient satisfaction with the cataract surgery service and identify any areas for improvement, determination of patient satisfaction with referral, out-patient consultation, pre-assessment clinic, surgery and post-operative care, also to report patients' comments relating to improvement in service provision. Methodology A retrospective study was undertaken for 150 patients underwent cataract surgery at Barrow General Hospital, UK, the survey sample was by postal questionnaires. We collected our data from the theatre lists for a period of 4 month. Results This study included 150 patients; the response rate was (72% 108 patients, Most patients were referred from their general practitioner 86.1%, 93 (86.1% patients were happy with the time interval from seeing their GP to eye clinic. In the eye out patient department many factors significantly affected the level of patient satisfaction, in general the more information provided for the patient the more the satisfaction. Conclusion Patient satisfaction is on important health outcome old understanding both the domains of satisfaction as well as their relative importance to patients is necessary to improve the overall quality of patient care. Meeting the doctor, presenting all relevant information and giving printed information are very important factors in improving the patient's satisfaction with cataract surgery.

Effect of musculoskeletal pain of care workers on job satisfaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, DeokJu

2018-01-01

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to examine the musculoskeletal pain of care workers and investigate its effect on their job satisfaction. [Subjects and Methods] Subjects were 87 care workers working at C elderly care service center in P region. The average age of men was 62.5 ± 3.4 years and that of women was 57.3 ± 2.7 years. The 'Guidelines for Risk Factor Survey on Tasks with Musculoskeletal Burden' of the KOSHA CODE (H-30-2003) of the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency (KOSHA) was used for measurement of musculoskeletal pain. This survey tool for job satisfaction consisted of 12 questions including the areas of wage satisfaction, professional satisfaction, job performance satisfaction, and relationship satisfaction. [Results] Study results showed that musculoskeletal pain varied depending on professional satisfaction, job performance satisfaction, and relationship satisfaction. The correlation between the areas of musculoskeletal pain and job satisfaction was examined and the following was revealed. Professional satisfaction was correlated with arm/elbow pain and lower back pain, job performance satisfaction with lower back pain, and relationship satisfaction with shoulder pain and lower back pain. [Conclusion] In this study, subjects were older and could have been easily exposed to diseases because of their age. To improve job efficiency among care workers, continuing education related to the job should take precedence. In addition, social support is required that can alleviate the heavy workload related to physical activity support, which is among the responsibilities of care workers. Moreover, application standards and coverage of industrial insurance for the treatment of musculoskeletal disorders of care workers should be extended further to relieve the burden of medical costs. A series of such measures will have a positive effect on improving the job satisfaction of care workers.

Continuous Improvement in Education. Advancing Teaching--Improving Learning. White Paper

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Sandra; Hironaka, Stephanie; Carver, Penny; Nordstrum, Lee

2013-01-01

In recent years, "continuous improvement" has become a popular catchphrase in the field of education. However, while continuous improvement has become commonplace and well-documented in other industries, such as healthcare and manufacturing, little is known about how this work has manifested itself in education. This white paper attempts…

A Pilot Study on Measuring Customer’s Satisfaction Level

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Vide Boltez

2013-01-01

Full Text Available RQ: Determine the level of customer satisfaction of a company’s products and services to obtain information on needed improvements.Purpose: The purpose of measuring customer’s satisfaction level is to obtain information directly from the final buyer that bought our product. The next step is to analyze the information obtained and to take the results into consideration to improve the working process in production and in other departments of the company.Method: The method used for the pilot study to measure customer satisfaction was a short questionnaire that was given to 10 customers of our product and 10 completed questionnaires were obtained.Results: The results showed the level of satisfaction of final buyers of roof tiles and roofs that the company has achieved through their products and services. The results facilitate the production, logistics, purchasing and sales department to obtain information on positive satisfaction levels and areas that need change. At the same time, the final buyer was identified (i.e., name, surname, address, and so forth, which up until now had not been.Organization: The organization will save time and money in the future, because it will continuously measure customer satisfaction to improve production and other departments in the organization towards creating satisfied customers.Society: Final buyers of roofs are, and will be, more satisfied with their decisions, because the organization carries out after-sales satisfaction levels.Originality: The research was original, because up to this date the organization has not conducted research in such a manner.Limitations: The pilot study used 10 completed questionnaires that represent a very small sample to make any generalizations.

Customer satisfaction research

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tormasi, T

1987-03-01

A review of four aspects of the Gas and Fuel Corporation of Victoria's study of customer satisfaction covers: (1) corporate goals to meet its responsibility as a public utility and operate as a successful marketing organization, (2) the history of customer satisfaction research by GFC, (3) measurements of customer satisfaction through expectations research, and (4) case studies involving domestic appliance maintenance and gas mains renewal. Continuous validation of GFC's policies and procedures is the basis for future growth and success. 3 tables.

An investigation of customer satisfaction and loyalty in projects of mini-hotels

OpenAIRE

Левыкин, Виктор Макарович; Дэвон, Валерия Викторовна

2015-01-01

The hospitality industry continues to evolve and improve in terms of Ukrainian realities of political and economic instability; managers of mini-hotels are experiencing difficulties with the implementation of repeat sales, increasing the number of loyal customers and the preservation of loyal customers, maintaining a high level of consumer loyalty and customer satisfaction.The article reveals the concept of satisfaction and loyalty of mini-hotels customers. It is schematically represented the...

Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Network (EREN): Customer satisfaction survey

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Anderson, A.V. [Information International Associates, Inc., Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Henderson, D.P. [Dept. of Energy, Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Office of Scientific and Technical Information

1996-04-22

The Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Network (EREN) Customer Satisfaction Survey was developed and executed in support of EREN`s continuous quality improvement (CQI) plan. The study was designed to provide information about the demographic make up of EREN users, the value or benefits they derive from EREN, the kinds and quality of services they want, their levels of satisfaction with existing services, their preferences in both the sources of service and the means of delivery, and to provide benchmark data for the establishment of continuous quality improvement measures. The survey was performed by soliciting voluntary participation from members of the EREN Users Group. It was executed in two phases; the first being conducted by phone using a randomly selected group; and the second being conducted electronically and which was open to all of the remaining members of the Users Group. The survey results are described.

Managerial implications for improving continuous production processes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Capaci, Francesca; Vanhatalo, Erik; Bergquist, Bjarne

2017-01-01

. In this article we highlight SPC and DoE implementation challenges described in the literature for managers, researchers and practitioners interested in continuous production process improvement. The results may help managers support the implementation of these methods and make researchers and practitioners aware......Data analytics remains essential for process improvement and optimization. Statistical process control and design of experiments are among the most powerful process and product improvement methods available. However, continuous process environments challenge the application of these methods...... of methodological challenges in continuous process environments...

Continue service improvement at CERN computing centre

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lopez, M Barroso; Everaerts, L; Meinhard, H; Baehler, P; Haimyr, N; Guijarro, J M

2014-01-01

Using the framework of ITIL best practises, the service managers within CERN-IT have engaged into a continuous improvement process, mainly focusing on service operation. This implies an explicit effort to understand and improve all service management aspects in order to increase efficiency and effectiveness. We will present the requirements, how they were addressed and share our experiences. We will describe how we measure, report and use the data to continually improve both the processes and the services being provided. The focus is not the tool or the process, but the results of the continuous improvement effort from a large team of IT experts providing services to thousands of users, supported by the tool and its local team. This is not an initiative to address user concerns in the way the services are managed but rather an on-going working habit of continually reviewing, analysing and improving the service management processes and the services themselves, having in mind the currently agreed service levels and whose results also improve the experience of the users about the current services.

Exploring the Relationship Between Professional Commitment and Job Satisfaction Among Nurses.

Science.gov (United States)

Hsu, Hsiu-Chin; Wang, Pao-Yu; Lin, Li-Hui; Shih, Whei-Mei; Lin, Mei-Hsiang

2015-09-01

This cross-sectional study explored the relationship between professional commitment and job satisfaction among nurses. A total of 132 registered nurses were recruited from a hospital in northern Taiwan. A self-reported structured questionnaire was used to collect data. Findings revealed significant differences among nurses in willingness to make an effort and their marital status, appraisal in continuing their careers, job level, and goals and values related to working shifts. Significant differences were found between inner satisfaction and work sector and marital status. Nurses' professional commitment was strongly related to job satisfaction; aspects of professional commitment explained 32% of the variance in job satisfaction. Study results may inform health care institutions about the importance of nurses' job satisfaction and professional commitment so hospital administration can improve these aspects of organizational environment. © 2015 The Author(s).

Human Resource Management for Continuous Improvement

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jørgensen, Frances; Laugen, Bjørge Timenes; Boer, Harry

2007-01-01

This paper investigates the relationship between HRM practices and Continuous Improvement (CI) activities in order to gain an understanding of how the HRM function may be utilized to improve CI implementation success, and consequently, company performance. The paper begins with a brief review...... of the HRM and CI literature and then presents statistical analyses of data collected from the Continuous Improvement Network Survey (2003), which demonstrate that HRM has a significant effect on CI behaviour and company performance, with the strongest relationship between HRM, CI and performance occurring...

CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT PRACTICE IN LARGE ENTERPRISES: STUDY RESULTS

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Dorota Stadnicka

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Continuous improvement is indispensable for ensuring the company's development and its survival on the constantly changing global market. Continuous improvement is particularly important in the quality and production management systems. A company should deliver a product compliant with a client's requirements in a specified time and at an appropriate price. That is why, continuous improvement refers to different areas of an organization's functioning and it is an integral part of Lean Manufacturing. This article presents the results of the study conducted in production enterprises on a limited area. The aim of the study was the assessment of the implementation of continuous improvement in Lean Manufacturing, and, in particular, employees' involvement in the problem identification and in reporting improvements as well as the way of motivating employees to involve themselves. The authors also tried to identify the factors influencing the elements of a continuous improvement system.

Using SERVQUAL for assessing and improving patient satisfaction at a rural health facility in Pakistan.

Science.gov (United States)

Shaikh, B T; Mobeen, N; Azam, S I; Rabbani, F

2008-01-01

A cross-sectional study of patient satisfaction with care was conducted over a period of 1 year from March 2004 to March 2005 in a secondary-level hospital in a peri-urban area of Karachi, Pakistan. Using the SERVQUAL tool and exit interviews, data were collected quarterly from a total of 1533 patients. Results sharing and capacity-building workshops were arranged during the 4 phases of the survey to sensitize the staff of the hospital to work towards improving patient satisfaction. The level of satisfaction of the patients with the outpatient health services provided showed a gradual increase from 34.4% to 82.0% over the 1-year period.

ThedaCare's business performance system: sustaining continuous daily improvement through hospital management in a lean environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Barnas, Kim

2011-09-01

For 2003-2008, ThedaCare, a community health system in Wisconsin, achieved significant improvements in quality and the elimination of waste through the development of an improvement system, which included Value Stream analysis, rapid improvement events, and projects applied to specific processes. However, to meet its continuous daily improvement goals, particularly the goal of increasing productivity by 10% annually, ThedaCare needed to change the way its managers and leaders (in its hospital division) conduct and manage their daily work. Accordingly, it developed its Business Performance System (BPS) to achieve and sustain continuous daily improvement. BUILDING THE BPS: ThedaCare devised a multipart pilot project, consisting of "learning to see" and then, "problem solving." On completion of the 15-week alpha phase (6 units) in July 2009, the BPS was spread to the beta pilot (12 units; September 2009-January 2010) and then to cohort 3 (10 units; September 2010-January 2011). Each alpha unit improved performance on (1) the key driver metric of increasing productivity from 2008 to year-end 2009 (by 1%-11%) and (2) its respective safety/ quality drivers over the respective 2008 baselines. For 2010, improvements across the alpha, beta, and cohort 3 units were found for 11 of the 14 safety/quality drivers-85% of the 11 customer satisfaction drivers, 83% of 6 people engagement drivers; and 48% of 23 financial stewardship drivers. The tools developed for the BPS have enabled teams to see, prioritize, and pursue continuous daily improvement opportunities. Unit leaders now have a structured management reporting system to reduce variation in their management styles. Leaders all now follow leadership standard work, and their daily work is now consistently aligned with the hospital and system strategy.

Using Small Tests of Change to Improve PMTCT Services in Northern Nigeria: Experiences From Implementation of a Continuous Quality Improvement and Breakthrough Series Program.

Science.gov (United States)

Osibo, Bamidele; Oronsaye, Frank; Alo, Oluwafemi D; Phillips, Abimbola; Becquet, Renaud; Shaffer, Nathan; Ogirima, Francis; Imarhiagbe, Collins; Ameh, Bernice; Ezebuka, Obioma; Sodzi-Tettey, Sodzi; Obi, Adaobi; Afolabi, Olusegun T; Inedu, Abutu; Anyaike, Chukwuma; Oyeledun, Bolanle

2017-06-01

Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) is a process where health teams systematically collect and regularly reflect on local data to inform decisions and modify local practices and so improve delivery of services. We implemented a cluster randomized trial to examine the effects of CQI interventions on Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMTCT) services. Here, we report our experiences and challenges establishing CQI in 2 high HIV prevalence states in northern Nigeria. Facility-based teams were trained to implement CQI activities, including structured assessments, developing change packages, and participation in periodic collaborative learning sessions. Locally evolved solutions (change ideas) were tested and measured using process data and intermediate process indicators were agreed including overall time spent accessing services, client satisfaction, and quality of data. Health workers actively participated in clinic activities and in the collaborative learning sessions. During the study, the mean difference in time spent accessing services during clinic visits increased by 40 minutes (SD = 93.4) in the control arm and decreased by 44 minutes (SD = 73.7) in the intervention arm. No significant difference was recorded in the mean client satisfaction assessment score by study arm. The quality of data was assessed using a standardized tool scored out of 100; compared with baseline data, quality at the end of study had improved at intervention sites by 6 points (95% CI: 2.0 to 10.1). Health workers were receptive to CQI process. A compendium of "change ideas" compiled into a single change package can be used to improve health care delivery.

Teaching emergency medicine with workshops improved medical student satisfaction in emergency medicine education.

Science.gov (United States)

Sricharoen, Pungkava; Yuksen, Chaiyaporn; Sittichanbuncha, Yuwares; Sawanyawisuth, Kittisak

2015-01-01

There are different teaching methods; such as traditional lectures, bedside teaching, and workshops for clinical medical clerkships. Each method has advantages and disadvantages in different situations. Emergency Medicine (EM) focuses on emergency medical conditions and deals with several emergency procedures. This study aimed to compare traditional teaching methods with teaching methods involving workshops in the EM setting for medical students. Fifth year medical students (academic year of 2010) at Ramathibodi Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand participated in the study. Half of students received traditional teaching, including lectures and bedside teaching, while the other half received traditional teaching plus three workshops, namely, airway workshop, trauma workshop, and emergency medical services workshop. Student evaluations at the end of the clerkship were recorded. The evaluation form included overall satisfaction, satisfaction in overall teaching methods, and satisfaction in each teaching method. During the academic year 2010, there were 189 students who attended the EM rotation. Of those, 77 students (40.74%) were in the traditional EM curriculum, while 112 students were in the new EM curriculum. The average satisfaction score in teaching method of the new EM curriculum group was higher than the traditional EM curriculum group (4.54 versus 4.07, P-value workshop, bedside teaching, and emergency medical services workshop. The mean (standard deviation) satisfaction scores of those three teaching methods were 4.70 (0.50), 4.63 (0.58), and 4.60 (0.55), respectively. Teaching EM with workshops improved student satisfaction in EM education for medical students.

THE EFFECTS OF ROOM SERVICE TO IMPROVE PATIENTS’ FOOD SATISFACTION AND FOOD ACCEPTANCE

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Muhammad Iqbal

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The improvement of patients’ food satisfaction and acceptance in the hospitals is primarily needed in the food service  system.  Room service is a new concept in the food service area. This study aims to compare the effects of two different types of food service systems; room service and conventional service system. The study with quasi-experimental design is conducted to the subject of 66 inpatients who were taken using a quota sampling method. Subjects were divided into different groups, the treatment groups (room service and control groups (conventional. Leftover food between groups was compared for 9 large meals to determine acceptability. Food satisfaction is measured on the last day with using questionnaire. The study was conducted in April-June 2014. Chi-Square test and logistic regression were used for analysis of research data. There were significant differences food satisfaction (RR=4.6; p=0.0001 and food acceptance (RR=1.94; p=0.0488 between control and treatment group. The logistic regression test showed that room service group had higher food satisfaction and food acceptance level than control group after controlling confounding factors, which were 12,11 times (95% CI 3,593 – 37,219 and 2,38 times (95% CI 0,68-8,31, respectively. The room service increases food satisfaction and food acceptance of patients compared with conventional systems.

Permissive Attitude Towards Drug Use, Life Satisfaction, and Continuous Drug Use Among Psychoactive Drug Users in Hong Kong.

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Cheung, N Wt; Cheung, Y W; Chen, X

2016-06-01

To examine the effects of a permissive attitude towards regular and occasional drug use, life satisfaction, self-esteem, depression, and other psychosocial variables in the drug use of psychoactive drug users. Psychosocial factors that might affect a permissive attitude towards regular / occasional drug use and life satisfaction were further explored. We analysed data of a sample of psychoactive drug users from a longitudinal survey of psychoactive drug abusers in Hong Kong who were interviewed at 6 time points at 6-month intervals between January 2009 and December 2011. Data of the second to the sixth time points were stacked into an individual time point structure. Random-effects probit regression analysis was performed to estimate the relative contribution of the independent variables to the binary dependent variable of drug use in the last 30 days. A permissive attitude towards drug use, life satisfaction, and depression at the concurrent time point, and self-esteem at the previous time point had direct effects on drug use in the last 30 days. Interestingly, permissiveness to occasional drug use was a stronger predictor of drug use than permissiveness to regular drug use. These 2 permissive attitude variables were affected by the belief that doing extreme things shows the vitality of young people (at concurrent time point), life satisfaction (at concurrent time point), and self-esteem (at concurrent and previous time points). Life satisfaction was affected by sense of uncertainty about the future (at concurrent time point), self-esteem (at concurrent time point), depression (at both concurrent and previous time points), and being stricken by stressful events (at previous time point). A number of psychosocial factors could affect the continuation or discontinuation of drug use, as well as the permissive attitude towards regular and occasional drug use, and life satisfaction. Implications of the findings for prevention and intervention work targeted at

Patient satisfaction with medication for gastroesophageal reflux disease: A systematic review

Science.gov (United States)

van Zanten, Sander Veldhuyzen; Henderson, Catherine; Hughes, Nesta

2012-01-01

BACKGROUND: Patient satisfaction is increasingly regarded as an important aspect of measuring treatment success in individuals with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). OBJECTIVE: To review how satisfied patients with GERD are with their medication, and to analyze the usefulness of patient satisfaction as a clinical end point by comparing it with symptom improvement. METHODS: Systematic searches of the PubMed and EMBASE databases identified clinical trials and patient surveys published between 1966 and 2009. RESULTS: Twelve trials reported that 56% to 100% of patients were ‘satisfied’ or ‘very satisfied’ with proton pump inhibitor (PPI) treatment for GERD. Patient satisfaction levels were higher for PPIs than other GERD medications in two trials. The sample-size-weighted average proportion of patients ‘satisfied’ with their PPI after four weeks of treatment in trials was 93% (95% CI 87% to 99%), with 73% (95% CI 62% to 83%) being ‘very satisfied’. In four surveys, the average proportion of patients ‘satisfied’ with their PPI treatment was 82% (95% CI 73% to 90%) and 62% (95% CI 48% to 75%) were ‘very satisfied’. Seven trials found a positive association between patient satisfaction and symptom improvement, and two surveys between satisfaction and improved health-related quality of life. Three trials found that continuous treatment yielded higher rates of satisfaction than on-demand therapy. CONCLUSIONS: More than one-half of patients were satisfied with their PPI medication in trials, and more patients were satisfied with PPIs than other medication types. An association between patient satisfaction and symptom resolution was found, suggesting that patient satisfaction is a useful end point for evaluating GERD treatment success. PMID:22506259

Patients' satisfaction ratings and their desire for care improvement across oncology settings from France, Italy, Poland and Sweden

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Brédart, A.; Robertson, C.; Razavi, D.; Batel-Copel, L.; Larsson, G.; Lichosik, D.; Meyza, J.; Schraub, S.; von Essen, L.; de Haes, J. C. J. M.

2003-01-01

There has been an increasing interest in patient satisfaction assessment across nations recently. This paper reports on a cross-cultural comparison of the comprehensive assessment of satisfaction with care (CASC) response scales. We investigated what proportion of patients wanted care improvement

Factors Influencing Virtual Patron Satisfaction with Online Library Resources and Services

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Katherine Tyler

2011-07-01

Full Text Available College students are accessing virtual libraries whether they are on campus or learning from a distance. Academic institutions serving virtual patrons must remain focused on meeting the needs of those library users by continually examining their preferences, their searching behavior, and the information they seek. The purpose of this research was to determine if virtual patrons are satisfied with the resources and services being provided by a university’s online library. Following a web-based survey, demographic characteristics of students were analyzed to determine if any influenced students’ satisfaction. Using analysis of variance, correlation, and descriptive statistics, several demographic factors were found to influence student satisfaction with the library’s online resources: age, gender, achieved educational level, student status, and computer experience. One factor, computer experience, was found to influence student satisfaction with the library’s online services. Overall, students reported satisfaction with the university’s online library resources and services. Comments submitted to open-ended questions regarding areas for improvement to the online library provide library administrators with avenues for development to increase awareness of library services, focus improvement in navigation, and enhance student satisfaction.

Satisfaction with life and job satisfaction of employees in Slovenian army

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Tjaša Dimec

2008-12-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to investigate satisfaction with life and job satisfaction in the Slovenian army. For this purpose we used Satisfaction With Life Scale (Diener, Emmons, Larsen, & Griffin, 1985 and Pogačnik's (2003 Job Satisfaction Scale. This research involved 168 employees of the Slovenian army: 68 soldiers, 60 officers, and 40 noncommissioned officers. The results showed that employees in Slovenian army are more satisfied than unsatisfied with their lives. Officers are the most satisfied with their life. We found out that appraisals on job satisfaction are rather low and indicate middle level of job satisfaction. The highest level of work satisfaction was expressed in the area of relations with co-workers. Participants were least satisfied with their salary and other material facilities. Individuals with subordinate co-workers showed higher level of satisfaction with work conditions, possibilities for promotion, salary and other material facilities, and also higher level of satisfaction about informing in the army, possibilities for professional development, independence and autonomy at work, work reputation, creativeness at work and also taking part in decision-making. Analysis of differences showed that officers gave the highest score to indicators of work satisfaction, with exception of independence and autonomy at work, work reputation, and pretentiousness of work. Based on the examination of the actual state, to the level the research was enabling, we identified some necessary changes, improvements or measures for improvement of the recognized weak areas.

Teaching emergency medicine with workshops improved medical student satisfaction in emergency medicine education

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sricharoen P

2015-02-01

workshop, bedside teaching, and emergency medical services workshop. The mean (standard deviation satisfaction scores of those three teaching methods were 4.70 (0.50, 4.63 (0.58, and 4.60 (0.55, respectively. Conclusion: Teaching EM with workshops improved student satisfaction in EM education for medical students. Keywords: emergency medicine education, workshop, student satisfaction

Using lean Six Sigma to improve hospital based outpatient imaging satisfaction.

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McDonald, Angelic P; Kirk, Randy

2013-01-01

Within the hospital based imaging department at Methodist Willowbrook, outpatient, inpatient, and emergency patients are all performed on the same equipment with the same staff. The critical nature of the patient is the deciding factor as to who gets done first and in what order procedures are performed. After an aggressive adoption of Intentional Tools, the imaging department was finally able to move from a two year mean Press Ganey, outpatient satisfaction average score of 91.2 and UHC percentile ranking of 37th to a mean average of 92.1 and corresponding UHC ranking of 60th percentile. It was at the 60th percentile ranking that the department flat lined. Using the Six Sigma DMAIC process, opportunity for further improvement was identified. A two week focus pilot was conducted specifically on areas identified through the Six Sigma process. The department was able to jump to 88th percentile ranking and a mean of 93.7. With pay for performance focusing on outpatient satisfaction and a financial incentive to improving and maintaining the highest scores, it was important to know where the imaging department should apply its financial resources to obtain the greatest impact.

Customer satisfaction measurement

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maričić Branko R.

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Customer satisfaction is important in business management as a basis for long-term profitability of a single line of products and services and the company as a whole. Customer satisfaction in modern market conditions is characterized by a large number of alternatives that can satisfy the same need or desire of consumers, and are a prerequisite for the retention, loyalty, and positive verbal communication between companies and vendors on one hand and consumers on the other. Companies are investing more and more investment and management efforts in improving customer satisfaction. Improving customer satisfaction and its measurement involves the taking of appropriate marketing strategies and tactics, as well as corrective measures. This paper presents the well-known attempts to measure customers' satisfaction at the macro and micro level of marketing analysis. The index of consumer satisfaction is an important indicator of achieved quality and market performance of companies and can be measured on a micro and macro level. National customer satisfaction indexes are useful framework for analyzing the competitiveness of national economies, industries and individual companies and are used for a variety of other aspects of observation and analysis. Standardization of consumer satisfaction indexes in different countries allows comparability of the data, giving a new quality of analysis in the era of globalization and internationalization of business.

Teacher Research as Continuous Process Improvement

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Ellis, Charles; Castle, Kathryn

2010-01-01

Purpose: Teacher research (inquiry) has been characterized as practice improvement, professional development and action research, among numerous names and descriptions. The purpose of this paper is to support the case that teacher research is also a form of quality improvement known as continuous process improvement (CPI).…

Continuous Improvement Implementation in the Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust: A Case Study of a Continuous Improvement Programme & Project

OpenAIRE

Velzen, Jeena

2012-01-01

This paper aims at identifying the extent to which the Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust has fulfilled literature requirements for successful continuous improvement as exemplified by its Better for You programme and chemotherapy service improvement project. Both the theory and ideals of the continuous improvement programme, along with the actualization of these philosophies and methodologies in the context of the particular project,were compared against a framework for the enabling...

Satisfaction with Dental Appearance and Attitude toward improving Dental Esthetics among Patients attending a Dental Teaching Center.

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Maghaireh, Ghada A; Alzraikat, Hanan; Taha, Nessrin A

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the factors influencing the satisfaction of dental appearance and attitude toward treatments to improve dental esthetics among patients attending a dental teaching center. A questionnaire was used to collect data of four background variables among 450 patients attended a dental teaching center in the city of Irbid in Jordan. The questionnaire enclosed self-reported questions about the appearance of anterior teeth, received esthetic treatment and desired treatment for improving esthetics. Descriptive, multiple logistic regression and Chi-square tests were used for data analysis (p ≤ 0.05). The 450 participants consisted of (66.2%) male and (33.8%) female. Of these, 69.3% were satisfied with their dental appearance and 58.0% with the color of their teeth. Esthetic restorations were the most received treatment (39.8%) and whitening of teeth was the most desired treatment (55.3%). The patients' satisfaction with dental appearance was influenced by teeth color, crowding and receiving whitening (p < 0.05. r = 0.561, r(2) = 0.315). The most desired esthetic treatments influenced by the satisfaction with dental appearance were esthetic restorations and orthodontics (p < 0.05. r = 0.223, r(2) = 0.05). Significantly more female reported having esthetic restorations and orthodontics (p = 0.008, 0.000) and desired to have orthodontic, crowns or veneers and esthetic restorations (p = 0.000, 0.015, 0.028). Satisfaction with dental appearance was affected by teeth color, feeling teeth are crowded, desire for esthetic restorations and orthodontic treatment. A high percentage of patients were not satisfied with the color of their teeth. Recognizing the factors that affect patients' satisfaction with their present dental appearance and attitude toward treatments to improve dental esthetic can guide clinicians to strategies to improve esthetics.

Three-year customer satisfaction survey in laboratory medicine in a Chinese university hospital.

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Siqi; Duan, Yifei; Liu, Xiaojuan; Jiang, Yongmei

2018-04-25

Customer satisfaction is a key quality indicator of laboratory service. Patients and physicians are the ultimate customers in medical laboratory, and their opinions are essential components in developing a customer-oriented laboratory. A longitudinal investigation of customer satisfaction was conducted through questionnaires. We designed two different questionnaires and selected 1200 customers (600 outpatients and 600 physicians) to assess customer satisfaction every other year from 2012 to 2016. Items with scores satisfaction in 2014 was better, which illustrated our strategy was effective. However, some items remained to be less than 4, so we repeated the survey after modifying questionnaires in 2016. However, the general satisfaction points of the physicians and patients reduced in 2016, which reminded us of some influential factors we had neglected. By using dynamic survey of satisfaction, we can continuously find deficiencies in our laboratory services and take suitable corrective actions, thereby improving our service quality.

Improvement of customer satisfaction evaluation for quality management system and accreditation in Nuclear Malaysia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fazila Said; Noriah Ali; Siti Mariam Ibrahim

2010-01-01

Malaysian Nuclear Agency (Nuclear Malaysia) possesses seven certification of Quality Management System, namely ISO 9001:2008, and two certification of Malaysia Laboratory Accreditation Scheme, namely ISO/IEC 17025:2005. General Requirement of Standard for those two certifications needs customer satisfaction evaluation to be conducted every year. Thus, the Innovation Management Centre (IMC) undertakes improvement action to harmonise and coordinate the formulation of questionnaires in Nuclear Malaysia based on data analysis for 2009. The newly developed questionnaire that applies to all processes and laboratories that have received or awaiting certification have value addition in terms of analytical methods that are more concise, precise, simple and focus on effective action plan to enhance customer satisfaction. Methods such as Importance-Performance Analysis (IPA), Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) and Service Quality Dimension (SERVQUAL) will be used in this research. (author)

Satisfaction with nursing education, job satisfaction, and work intentions of new graduate nurses.

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Kenny, Patricia; Reeve, Rebecca; Hall, Jane

2016-01-01

In the context of predictions of future shortages of nurses, retaining new graduate nurses in the nursing workforce is essential to ensure sufficient nurses in the future. This paper investigates the links between satisfaction with nursing education and job satisfaction, and job dissatisfaction and intentions to leave a nursing job. It uses survey data from a cohort study of nursing students recruited through two Australian universities and followed after graduation and workforce entry. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to simultaneously estimate the impact of educational satisfaction (work preparation component) on job satisfaction and the impact of job satisfaction on the expectation of leaving the current job. Two job satisfaction sub-scales were identified: 1) work environment satisfaction and 2) work hours and wages satisfaction. Work preparation satisfaction was significantly and positively associated with both job satisfaction scales but only work environment satisfaction was significantly associated with the expectation to stay in the job; a one standard deviation increase in work environment satisfaction was associated with a 13.5 percentage point reduction in the probability of expecting to leave. The estimated effect of satisfaction with education on expecting to leave, occurring indirectly through job satisfaction, was small (reducing the probability by less than 3 percentage points for a 1 point increase in work preparation satisfaction). Participating in a graduate transition program had the largest effect, reducing the probability of expecting to leave by 26 percentage points, on average. The study results suggest policies which focus on improving satisfaction with the work environment would be more effective at retaining nurses early in their career than improvements to conditions such as work hours and wages. Investment in new graduate transition programs would potentially have the largest impact on retention. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier

Behavior of Internal Customer in Family Business: Strategies and Actions for Improving Their Satisfaction

Science.gov (United States)

Gutiérrez-Broncano, Santiago; Jiménez-Estévez, Pedro; del Carmen Zabala-Baños, María

2017-01-01

Determining the relevant aspects of family businesses (FBs) that make them increasingly competitive is the main objective of researchers in this field. Despite this, there is little empirical literature on the behavior of the internal customer (IC) in FBs or how businesses increase their satisfaction. Basing our work on psychological theories and with both quantitative and qualitative information from 31 semi-structured interviews, this work establishes certain characteristics of the ICs of the FB and proposes a series of guidelines for increasing their satisfaction, thereby facilitating the continuity of this type of business. FBs that are able to understand that the motivation of their ICs is more important than other qualities, and that this requires a more comprehensive management will be able to get sustainable competitive advantages in the future. PMID:28790958

Behavior of Internal Customer in Family Business: Strategies and Actions for Improving Their Satisfaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Gutiérrez-Broncano, Santiago; Jiménez-Estévez, Pedro; Del Carmen Zabala-Baños, María

2017-01-01

Determining the relevant aspects of family businesses (FBs) that make them increasingly competitive is the main objective of researchers in this field. Despite this, there is little empirical literature on the behavior of the internal customer (IC) in FBs or how businesses increase their satisfaction. Basing our work on psychological theories and with both quantitative and qualitative information from 31 semi-structured interviews, this work establishes certain characteristics of the ICs of the FB and proposes a series of guidelines for increasing their satisfaction, thereby facilitating the continuity of this type of business. FBs that are able to understand that the motivation of their ICs is more important than other qualities, and that this requires a more comprehensive management will be able to get sustainable competitive advantages in the future.

Increasing clinical, satisfaction, and financial performance through nurse-driven process improvement.

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Sims, Caroline E

2003-02-01

Providers and regulatory agencies are increasing their demands for hospitals to document clinical quality and customer satisfaction at a decreased cost. Nurse leaders search for ways to meet these requirements while retaining their most valuable resource: healthcare workers (especially nurses). First-line leadership struggles with balancing quality, cost-effectiveness, and staff retention. The author discusses the planning, methodology, implementation, and outcomes of a staff driven process improvement initiative.

Application of Gray Relational Analysis Method in Comprehensive Evaluation on the Customer Satisfaction of Automobile 4S Enterprises

Science.gov (United States)

Cenglin, Yao

The car sales enterprises could continuously boost sales and expand customer groups, an important method is to enhance the customer satisfaction. The customer satisfaction of car sales enterprises (4S enterprises) depends on many factors. By using the grey relational analysis method, we could perfectly combine various factors in terms of customer satisfaction. And through the vertical contrast, car sales enterprises could find specific factors which will improve customer satisfaction, thereby increase sales volume and benefits. Gray relational analysis method has become a kind of good method and means to analyze and evaluate the enterprises.

Ergonomics, quality and continuous improvement--conceptual and empirical relationships in an industrial context.

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Eklund, J

1997-10-01

This paper reviews the literature comparing the fields of ergonomics and quality, mainly in an industrial context, including mutual influences, similarities and differences. Relationships between ergonomics and the factors: work conditions, product design, ISO 9000, continuous improvements and TQM are reviewed in relation to the consequence, application, and process domains. The definitions of ergonomics and quality overlap substantially. Quality deficiencies, human errors and ergonomics problems often have the same cause, which in many cases can be traced to the design of work, workplace and environment e.g. noise, light, postures, loads, pace and work content. In addition, the possibility of performing to a high standard at work is an important prerequisite for satisfaction and well-being. Contradictions between the two fields have been identified in the view of concepts such as standardization, reduction of variability and copying of best practice, requiring further research. The field of quality would gain by incorporating ergonomics knowledge, especially in the areas of work design and human capability, since these factors are decisive for human performance and also therefore the performance of the systems involved. The field of ergonomics, on the other hand, would benefit from developing a stronger emphasis on methodologies and structures for improvement processes, including a clearer link with leadership and company strategies. Just as important is a further development of practicable participative ergonomics methods and tools for use at workplaces by the workers themselves, in order to integrate the top-down and the bottom-up processes and achieve better impact. Using participative processes for problem-solving and continuous improvement, focusing ergonomics and quality jointly has a great potential for improving working conditions and quality results simultaneously, and satisfying most of the interested parties.

Continuous improvement in teams : The (mis)fit between improvement and operational activities of improvement teams

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ros, D.J.

1999-01-01

Since the 1970s and 1980s, increasing attention has been paid to the Japanese ways of organising production. One of the subjects often discussed is the importance of continuous incremental improvements. Nowadays, for many organisations, continuous improvement has become an important topic; many

Feedback intervention to doctors improves patient satisfaction among outpatients in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China.

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Qiao, T; Geater, A F; Chongsuvivatwong, V; Fan, Y; Guo, Z

2017-11-01

The doctor-patient relationship (DPR) in China is known to be tense. We tested whether an intervention program providing individualized feedback to doctors by patients could improve patients' satisfaction in an outpatient setting. A non-randomized controlled prepost intervention study in a tertiary hospital. Six surgery clinics were chosen as the intervention group and eight internal medicine clinics as the control group. Before the program started, patients attending each group of clinics were asked to fill in the Short-Form Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire (PSQ-18). In the experimental period, patients attending the intervention clinics were requested to rate their perception of the doctor's quality of care in various domains on an 8-question feedback card immediately after exiting from the examination room and to drop the completed card into the feedback box for the particular doctor. The cards were then collected by the doctor confidentially at the end of each day. There was no feedback in the control clinics. After the experimental period ended, the doctors in both groups of clinics were reassessed by a new series of patients using PSQ-18. The PSQ-18 scores were compared within the same group of clinics over time, and the changes in satisfaction score compared between intervention and control clinics. There were 189 and 190 responders in the intervention group and 190 and 200 in the control group, before and after the intervention period, respectively. Scores in all domains increased significantly (P patient satisfaction scores in the intervention clinics compared with the control clinics was confirmed by mixed-effects linear regression controlling for the effects of gender, age, marital status, education, and household income in the domains of general satisfaction, technical quality, communication, and accessibility and convenience. Timely feedback to doctors of patients' perception of quality of care received can improve outpatient satisfaction in a

Evaluation of patient satisfaction with physical therapy following primary THA.

Science.gov (United States)

Issa, Kimona; Naziri, Qais; Johnson, Aaron J; Memon, Talha; Dattilo, Jonathan; Harwin, Steven F; Mont, Michael A

2013-05-01

Physical therapy following total hip arthroplasty (THA) is intended to maximize a patient's range of motion and function and improve the quality of life. No universally accepted standard of care exists for physical therapy among physicians or therapists. However, it may be crucial to enhance efforts to more fully elucidate contributing parameters that affect patient experiences. The purpose of this study was to evaluate various factors contributing to patient satisfaction with postoperative physical therapy. One hundred consecutive patients (110 hips) who underwent THA were prospectively surveyed for satisfaction with postoperative physical therapy. All surveys were filled out anonymously by the patients, and investigators were blinded to clinical outcomes and who was surveyed. Seventy-six percent of patients reported being satisfied with their rehabilitation experiences. Factors, including patient age and sex, duration of therapy, number of patients per session, continuity of care with the same therapist, amount of hands-on time spent with the therapist, number of patients per session, and total number of sessions completed, were significantly correlated with patient satisfaction. Co-pay amount did not significantly affect patient satisfaction. These factors may be underappreciated by physicians and physical therapists. To maximize patient satisfaction with physical therapy, physicians should identify institutions whose therapists are willing to spend adequate hands-on time during one-on-one or small-group sessions while maintaining the greatest possible continuity of care with a single provider. Copyright 2013, SLACK Incorporated.

Staff satisfaction and its components in residential aged care.

Science.gov (United States)

Chou, Shu-Chiung; Boldy, Duncan P; Lee, Andy H

2002-06-01

The purpose of this study was to assess the direction and magnitude of the effects among the components of staff satisfaction in residential aged care and to examine whether the relationships among satisfaction components vary according to facility type (i.e. nursing homes and hostels). A hostel is a low care facility in which residents are more independent, have a lower level of care needs, and receive personal but not nursing care. A cross-sectional survey design was adopted to collect the required information, and a stratified random sampling approach was utilized to select facilities. Structural equation modeling was used to examine relationships among satisfaction components. Seventy residential aged care facilities in Western Australia. The sample includes 610 nursing home and 373 hostel care staff. The relationships among satisfaction components are different for nursing home and hostel staff. Professional support is found to have a strong and positive effect on all other aspects of staff satisfaction. The findings lead to an improved understanding of the interrelationship among staff satisfaction components, which has important implications through enhancing professional support. This needs to be recognized and emphasized by managers, care providers, and policy makers so as to maintain stable personnel and continuity of care.

Job satisfaction at Company Teija Jousi Viikarit

OpenAIRE

Grönlund, Mirka

2011-01-01

The objective of this study is to find out the level of job satisfaction in Company Teija Jousi Viikarit. One intention is to find out what the factors affecting employees’ job satisfaction are and how to increase the job satisfaction within these fields. Another intention is to provide for the case company a complete job satisfaction survey package, which they can use continuously to keep their employee satisfaction as high as possible. The theoretical framework was based on the factors of j...

Impact of Scribes on Physician Satisfaction, Patient Satisfaction, and Charting Efficiency: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Gidwani, Risha; Nguyen, Cathina; Kofoed, Alexis; Carragee, Catherine; Rydel, Tracy; Nelligan, Ian; Sattler, Amelia; Mahoney, Megan; Lin, Steven

2017-09-01

Scribes are increasingly being used in clinical practice despite a lack of high-quality evidence regarding their effects. Our objective was to evaluate the effect of medical scribes on physician satisfaction, patient satisfaction, and charting efficiency. We conducted a randomized controlled trial in which physicians in an academic family medicine clinic were randomized to 1 week with a scribe then 1 week without a scribe for the course of 1 year. Scribes drafted all relevant documentation, which was reviewed by the physician before attestation and signing. In encounters without a scribe, the physician performed all charting duties. Our outcomes were physician satisfaction, measured by a 5-item instrument that included physicians' perceptions of chart quality and chart accuracy; patient satisfaction, measured by a 6-item instrument; and charting efficiency, measured by time to chart close. Scribes improved all aspects of physician satisfaction, including overall satisfaction with clinic (OR = 10.75), having enough face time with patients (OR = 3.71), time spent charting (OR = 86.09), chart quality (OR = 7.25), and chart accuracy (OR = 4.61) (all P values patient satisfaction. Scribes increased the proportion of charts that were closed within 48 hours (OR =1.18, P =.028). To our knowledge, we have conducted the first randomized controlled trial of scribes. We found that scribes produced significant improvements in overall physician satisfaction, satisfaction with chart quality and accuracy, and charting efficiency without detracting from patient satisfaction. Scribes appear to be a promising strategy to improve health care efficiency and reduce physician burnout. © 2017 Annals of Family Medicine, Inc.

Human Resource Management for Continuous Improvement

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jørgensen, Frances; Boer, Harry; Laugen, Bjørge

2006-01-01

The objective of this paper is to investigate the relationship between HRM practices and Continuous Improvement (CI) activities in order to gain an understanding of how the HRM function may be utilized to improve CI implementation success, and consequently, organizational performance. The paper i...

Examining the Impact of Patient-Reported Hope for Improvement and Patient Satisfaction with Clinician/Treatment on the Outcome of Major Depressive Disorder Treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

IsHak, Waguih William; Vilhauer, Jennice; Kwock, Richard; Wu, Fan; Gohar, Sherif; Collison, Katherine; Thomas, Shannon Nicole; Naghdechi, Lancer; Elashoff, David

This analysis aims at examining if patient-reported variables such as hope for improvement and patient satisfaction with clinician/treatment could influence the outcome major depressive disorder (MDD) treatment, namely depression remission, in the Sequenced Treatment Alternatives to Relieve Depression (STAR*D) trial. Retrospective cohort study. The STAR*D study was conducted at 18 primary care and 23 psychiatric care settings in the United States from 2001-2007 and was funded by the National Institute of Mental health (NIMH). The analysis contained in this manuscript was conceptualized at the Cedars-Sinai Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences and performed at the UCLA School of Public Health. Using data from STAR*D, the current study used logistic regression and survival analyses to examine the relationship between depressive symptoms remission and two sets of self-reported factors: Hope for improvement and, Patient satisfaction with treatment/clinician. First, more than 90% of STAR*D patients reported having high hope for improvement (agree or strongly agree) and more than 66% endorsed high satisfaction with clinicians and more than 50% expressed high satisfaction with treatments (very or mostly satisfied). Second, hope for improvement was predictive of depression remission (pdepression remission in contrast to satisfaction with clinician/treatment. Future studies should prospectively incorporate patients' subjective attitudes regarding hope for improvement and satisfaction with clinicians and treatments as mediators and moderators of MDD treatment success.

Does job satisfaction improve the health of workers? New evidence using panel data and objective measures of health.

Science.gov (United States)

Fischer, Justina A V; Sousa-Poza, Alfonso

2009-01-01

This paper evaluates the relationship between job satisfaction and measures of health of workers using the German Socio-Economic Panel. Methodologically, it addresses two important design problems encountered frequently in the literature: (a) cross-sectional causality problems and (b) the absence of objective measures of physical health that complement self-reported measures of health status. Not only does using the panel structure with individual fixed effects mitigate the bias from omitting unobservable personal psycho-social characteristics, but employing more objective health measures such as health-system contacts and disability addresses such measurement problems relating to self-report assessments of health status.We find a positive link between job satisfaction (and changes over time therein) and subjective health measures (and changes therein); that is, employees with higher or improved job satisfaction levels feel healthier and are more satisfied with their health. This observation also holds true for more objective measures of health. Particularly, improvements in job satisfaction over time appear to prevent workers from (further) health deterioration. Copyright (c) 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Lean-driven improvements slash wait times, drive up patient satisfaction scores.

Science.gov (United States)

2012-07-01

Administrators at LifePoint Hospitals, based in Brentwood, TN, used lean manufacturing techniques to slash wait times by as much as 30 minutes and achieve double-digit increases in patient satisfaction scores in the EDs at three hospitals. In each case, front-line workers took the lead on identifying opportunities for improvement and redesigning the patient-flow process. As a result of the new efficiencies, patient volume is up by about 25% at all three hospitals. At each hospital, the improvement process began with Kaizen, a lean process that involves bringing personnel together to flow-chart the current system, identify problem areas, and redesign the process. Improvement teams found big opportunities for improvement at the front end of the flow process. Key to the approach was having a plan up front to deal with non-compliance. To sustain improvements, administrators gather and disseminate key metrics on a daily basis.

The Telehealth Satisfaction Scale (TeSS): Reliability, validity, and satisfaction with telehealth in a rural memory clinic population

Science.gov (United States)

Morgan, Debra G; Kosteniuk, Julie; Stewart, Norma; O’Connell, Megan E; Karunanyake, Chandima; Beever, Rob

2015-01-01

Introduction Patient satisfaction is a key aspect of quality of care and can inform continuous quality improvement. Of the few studies that have reported on patient satisfaction with telehealth in programs aimed at individuals with memory problems, none has reported on the psychometric properties of the user satisfaction scales employed. Methods We evaluated the construct validity and internal consistency reliability of the Telehealth Satisfaction Scale (TeSS), a 10-item scale adapted for use in a Rural and Remote Memory Clinic (RRMC). The RRMC is a one-stop interprofessional clinic for rural and remote seniors with suspected dementia, located in a tertiary care hospital. Telehealth videoconferencing is used for pre-clinic assessment and for follow-up. Patients and caregivers completed the TeSS after each telehealth appointment. With data from 223 patients, exploratory factor analysis was conducted using the principal components analysis extraction method. Results The eigenvalue for the first factor (5.2) was greater than 1 and much larger than the second eigenvalue (.92), supporting a one-factor solution that was confirmed by the scree plot. The total variance explained by factor 1 was 52.1%. Factor loadings (range 0.54 – 0.84) were above recommended cutoffs. The TeSS items demonstrated high internal consistency reliability (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.90). Satisfaction scores on the TeSS items ranged from 3.43 to 3.72 on a 4-point Likert scale, indicating high satisfaction with telehealth. Conclusions The study findings demonstrate high user satisfaction with telehealth in a rural memory clinic, and sound psychometric properties of the TeSS in this population. PMID:25272141

Continuous improvement: A win-win process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lawrence, T.M.; Wichert, A.

1992-01-01

The strategies used within PanCanadian Petroleum Limited's production division to successfully introduce the continuous improvement (CI) process are discussed. Continuous improvement is an operating philosophy and management style which allows all employees to participate in and improve the way an organization performs its day-to-day business. In the CI work environment the supervisor's traditional role changes from one of monitoring and controlling, to one of inspiring, motivating and leading people by communicating a clear vision. Employees at all levels in the work environment are organized into teams and armed with a good working knowledge of the problem-solving tools which allow them to pursue and implement improvement initiatives. The outcome of the process is an ongoing win-win situation for both PanCanadian and its people. Employees are gaining more trust, eliminating job irritants, and enjoying their work in a team environment. The company is benefiting through increased production, improved safety and reduced operating expenses, thanks to the many innovative ideas introduced by employees. 4 refs

Satisfaction with Life Amongst the Urban Poor: Empirical Results from South Africa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chengedzai Mafini

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Satisfaction with life is a dynamic factor which merits ongoing research takes into consideration all contextual influences. This study assessed the influence of four economic factors, namely employment status, rural/urban residence, public service delivery and poverty on satisfaction with life amongst the urban poor in South Africa. Although satisfaction with life is a well-research concept in most environments, no consensus exists on the results, which prompts the need for continuous research. A survey design was adopted involving 402 purposively selected residents of Sebokeng Township in Gauteng Province. Regression analysis revealed that employment status, public service delivery and poverty significantly predicted satisfaction with life. Residing in the rural areas was statistically insignificant. The study provides current insights on the association between economic factors and satisfaction with life amongst poor people in urban societies. The study may be used by governments in developing countries to develop policies for improving the socio-economic well-being of poor societies.

Job Satisfaction of Nursing Managers

OpenAIRE

Petrosova, Liana; Pokhilenko, Irina

2015-01-01

The aim of the study was to research levels of job satisfaction, factors affecting job satisfaction/dissatisfaction, and ways to improve job satisfaction among nursing managers. The purposes of the study were to extend knowledge in the field of healthcare management, to raise awareness about factors that affect job satisfaction in nursing management career, and to provide suggestions regarding how to increase job satisfaction among nursing managers. The method of this study is literature r...

Reduced fasting time improves comfort and satisfaction of elderly patients undergoing anesthesia for hip fracture

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luiz Eduardo Imbelloni

2015-04-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Patient's satisfaction is a standard indicator of care quality. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether a preoperative oral ingestion of 200 mL of a carbohydrate drink can improve comfort and satisfaction with anesthesia in elderly patients with hip fracture. METHOD: Prospective randomized clinical trial conducted in a Brazilian public hospital, with patients ASA I-III undergoing surgery for hip fracture. The control group (NPO received nothing by mouth after 9:00 p.m. the night before, while patients in the experimental group (CHO received 200 mL of a carbohydrate drink 2-4 h before the operation. Patients' characteristics, subjective perceptions, thirst and hunger and satisfaction were determined in four steps. Mann-Whitney U-test and Fisher exact test were used for comparison of control and experimental groups. A p-value <0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: A total of 100 patients were included in one of the two regimens of preoperative fasting. Fasting time decreased significantly in the study group. Patients drank 200 mL 2:59 h before surgery and showed no hunger (p < 0.00 and thirst on arrival to OR (p < 0.00, resulting in increased satisfaction with the perioperative anesthesia care (p < 0.00. CONCLUSIONS: The satisfaction questionnaire for surgical patient could become a useful tool in assessing the quality of care. In conclusion, CHO significantly reduces preoperative discomfort and increases satisfaction with anesthesia care.

Job satisfaction in mainland China: comparing critical care nurses and general ward nurses.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Aihua; Tao, Hong; Ellenbecker, Carol Hall; Liu, Xiaohong

2013-08-01

To explore the level of nurses' job satisfaction and compare the differences between critical care nurses and general ward nurses in Mainland China. Hospitals continue to experience high nurse turnover. Job satisfaction is a key factor to retain skilled nurses. The differences in job satisfaction among critical care nurses and general ward nurses are unknown. A cross-sectional design was selected for this descriptive correlation study. Cross-sectional study of critical care nurses (n = 446) and general ward nurses (n = 1118) in 9 general hospitals by means of questionnaires that included the Chinese Nurses Job Satisfaction Scale and demographic scale. The data were collected from June 2010-November 2010. Chinese nurses had moderate levels of job satisfaction, were satisfied with co-workers and family/work balance; and dissatisfied with pay and professional promotion. Critical care nurses were younger; less educated and had less job tenure when compared with nurses working on general wards. Critical care nurses were significantly less satisfied than general ward nurses with many aspects of their job. Levels of nurses' job satisfaction can be improved. The lower job satisfaction of critical care nurses compared with general ward nurses should warn the healthcare administrators and managers of potentially increasing the critical care nurses turn over. Innovative and adaptable managerial interventions need to be taken to improve critical care nurse' job satisfaction and retain skilled nurse. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

The Development and User Satisfaction Evaluation of Internet-Based N-Screen Healthcare Walking Content to Increase Continuous Usage Motivation.

Science.gov (United States)

Youm, Sekyoung

2015-08-01

The purpose of the current study is (1) to apply Internet-based N-Screen (this is used like the term "emultiscreen"; as the technology that provides services of shared content or application via N devices, it includes all screens such as personal computers [PCs], TV, and mobile devices) services to healthcare services by developing games for improving one's health and (2) to present ways to activate the use of health promotion contents in the future by investigating user satisfaction and whether there is any intention to accept the contents and/or use the services continuously. In order to evaluate the customized health maintenance content provided by the healthcare walking system developed in the current study, 98 adult men and women residing in Seoul, Korea, were instructed to use 10 minutes' worth of the walking content. Perceived quality, level of trust in the results, effectiveness of the exercise, and overall satisfaction were measured in regard to the N-Screen-based walking content, including those for the cell phone, PC, and Internet protocol TV (IPTV). Walking contents using N-Screen services were perceived with high levels of trust in the results of the exercise, the effectiveness of the exercise, and overall satisfaction. In terms of the usability of N-Screen services, the younger the participants, the more usable they found the mobile or PC programs. The older the participants, the more usable they found the IPTV screens, although they still struggled with using the content given; operating IPTVs proved to be difficult for them. Furthermore, participants who were engaged in exercise on a regular basis were less satisfied with the program, in general. The present study has developed a walking system using N-Screen programs to make the most common and effective forms of exercise-walking and running-accessible indoors. This may increase motivation to exercise by offering services that boost one's interest in exercising, such as personal monitoring and real

Continuing education for performance improvement: a creative approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Collins, Patti-Ann; Hardesty, Ilana; White, Julie L; Zisblatt, Lara

2012-10-01

In an effort to improve patient safety and health care outcomes, continuing medical education has begun to focus on performance improvement initiatives for physician practices. Boston University School of Medicine's (BUSM) Continuing Nursing Education Accredited Provider Unit has begun a creative project to award nursing contact hours for nurses' participation in performance improvement activities. This column highlights its initial efforts. Copyright 2012, SLACK Incorporated.

Intrinsic job satisfaction, overall satisfaction, and intention to leave the job among nursing assistants in nursing homes.

Science.gov (United States)

Decker, Frederic H; Harris-Kojetin, Lauren D; Bercovitz, Anita

2009-10-01

We examined predictors of intrinsic job satisfaction, overall satisfaction, and intention to leave the job among nursing assistants (NAs). The study focused on NAs who worked 30 or more hours per week in a nursing home. Data on 2,146 NAs meeting this criterion came from the 2004 National Nursing Assistant Survey, the first telephone interview survey of NAs nationwide. Regression equations were calculated in which intrinsic satisfaction, overall satisfaction, and intention to leave were dependent variables. NA attributes (e.g., job tenure and education) and extrinsic job factors (e.g., assessment of supervisor behavior, pay satisfaction, and benefits) were exogenous variables. A positive assessment of the supervisor's behavior had the strongest association with intrinsic satisfaction. Pay satisfaction had the second strongest association with intrinsic satisfaction. Predictors with the strongest associations with intention to leave were overall and intrinsic satisfaction. Assessment of the supervisor was not associated directly with intention to leave. Assessments of the supervisor and pay may affect overall satisfaction and intention to leave in part through their direct effects on intrinsic satisfaction. Some facility and NA attributes were related to intrinsic satisfaction but not to overall satisfaction, suggesting that intrinsic satisfaction may be an intervening variable in the impact of these attributes on overall satisfaction. Intrinsic satisfaction and extrinsic job factors amenable to change appear central to NAs' overall satisfaction and intention to leave. A facility may be able to improve extrinsic job factors that improve NAs' job-related affects, including intrinsic satisfaction.

Improvement of job satisfaction and organisational commitment through work group identification: an examination of the quantity surveyors in Hong Kong

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wai Yee Betty Chiu

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Though extant literatures in other sectors indicatethat job satisfaction and organizational commitment are important fordetermining individual and organisational outcomes, limited related researchhas been conducted amongst quantity surveyors in Hong Kong. Given cooperativeworking arrangement in the quantity surveying profession, work groupidentification is regarded as an important antecedent for determining jobsatisfaction and organisational commitment. The aim of this study is to examinewhether work group identification improves job satisfaction and organisationalcommitment. A questionnaire survey is conducted to collect data from quantitysurveyors working in private sector. A total of 71 valid responses are obtainedfrom 509 contacted quantity surveyors in Hong Kong. Bivariate correlation andmultiple regression analyses are performed to find the significance ofrelationships among the variables. Data analysis results support mosthypotheses. Work group identification is found to have significant positiveeffect on job satisfaction, affective and normative commitment. The finding isa bold step for quantity surveying companies to improve their quantity surveyors’job satisfaction and commitment level. The role of other contextual and organisationalfactors on job satisfaction and organisational commitment needs to becomplemented for future research.

Business Performance, Employee Satisfaction, and Leadership Practices.

Science.gov (United States)

Lashbrook, William B.

1997-01-01

The difficulty in finding a relationship between employee satisfaction and business performance results from how satisfaction is defined. A survey of 2000 employees determined that organizations, regardless of industry, could improve organizational performance by improving employee work unit satisfaction and that the work unit leader's actions may…

Measuring Teacher Job Satisfaction: Assessing Invariance in the Teacher Job Satisfaction Scale (TJSS) Across Six Countries

OpenAIRE

Pepe, Alessandro; Addimando, Loredana; Veronese, Guido

2017-01-01

Work and organizational psychology has long been concerned with measuring job satisfaction in organizational contexts, and this has carried across to the field of education, leading to a research focus on the work-related satisfaction of teachers. Today, a myriad of organizations continue to assess employees’ job satisfaction on a routine basis (Liu, Borg, & Spector, 2004). Unfortunately, a sort of balkanization of the field has resulted in the production of dozens of specific measurement too...

Lean management: innovative tools for engaging teams in continuous quality improvement.

Science.gov (United States)

Perreault, Lucille; Vaillancourt, Lise; Filion, Catherine; Hadj, Camélia

2014-01-01

Lean management has proven to be a sustainable method to ensure a high level of patient care through innovation and teamwork. It involves a set of six tools that allow for visual management shared among team members. The team focuses their efforts on the improvement of organizational indicators in a standardized and engaging way, resulting in the sustainability of improvements. This article outlines the program's rollout at Montfort Hospital (l'Hôpital Montfort). In only a few months, two pilot units accomplished close to 50 improvements each. In addition, the organizational employee satisfaction questionnaire showed very positive results. Copyright © 2014 Longwoods Publishing.

Satisfaction with life after rectal prolapse surgery.

Science.gov (United States)

Winiarski, Michał; Jóźwiak, Daria; Pusty, Michal; Dziki, Adam

2013-01-01

Assessment of satisfaction with life, as a result of comparing own life situation with the individualised personal standards, is an important element for measuring satisfaction with life of the patients suffering from somatic disorders. Literature provides numerous data on satisfaction with life of different groups of patients suffering from somatic disorders. Little space is devoted to the study of the level of satisfaction of patients with rectal prolapse, which is particularly evident in relation to the Polish patient population. The aim of the study was planned to determine the level of satisfaction with life and its determinants among patients with full-thickness rectal prolapse surgery as well as to assess the improvement of continence after this surgery. The study group consisted of 20 patients operated on for full-thickness rectal prolapse in the Department of General and Colorectal Surgery, Medical University in Lódź. SWLS (Satisfaction with Life Scale) Diener et al. in the Polish adaptation by Juczyński was used to assess global life satisfaction. Assessment of the incontinence severity and the postoperative improvement was made with Jorge and Wexner scale. The average level of global life satisfaction among patients with rectal prolapse surgery is 21.05 (SD = 4.68) and it corresponds to the level of satisfaction of the total population. In the study group, there were no statistically significant differences in the level of global satisfaction with life depending on age, disease recurrence and continence improvement after surgery. The continence after rectal prolapse surgery improved significantly (plife satisfaction of patients operated on for rectal prolapse.

Does receiving a copy of correspondence improve patients' satisfaction with their out-patient consultation?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Saunders, N. C.; Georgalas, C.; Blaney, S. P. A.; Dixon, H.; Topham, J. H.

2003-01-01

It is standard practice to write to a patient's general practitioner (GP) following an out-patients consultation. This study set out to assess whether sending a copy of this letter to the patient improves their satisfaction with the consultation. Two hundred patients were randomly assigned to

Customer satisfaction and business excellence

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kristensen, Kai; Martensen, Anne; Grønholdt, Lars

The topic for this paper is the link between customer satisfaction and business performance, which makes it possible to use customer satisfaction measures as basis for creating business excellence. First, the paper presents microeconomic models for the relationship between customer satisfaction......, customer loyalty and performance, and optimal customer satisfaction is characterized which will help management choose the right quality parameters for improvement. Second, the paper describes empirical evidence that customer satisfaction measures, based on a modelling approach, have impact on economic...

Drivers of Dashboard Development (3-D): A Curricular Continuous Quality Improvement Approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Shroyer, A Laurie; Lu, Wei-Hsin; Chandran, Latha

2016-04-01

Undergraduate medical education (UME) programs are seeking systematic ways to monitor and manage their educational performance metrics and document their achievement of external goals (e.g., Liaison Committee on Medical Education [LCME] accreditation requirements) and internal objectives (institution-specific metrics). In other continuous quality improvement (CQI) settings, summary dashboard reports have been used to evaluate and improve performance. The Stony Brook University School of Medicine UME leadership team developed and implemented summary dashboard performance reports in 2009 to document LCME standards/criteria compliance, evaluate medical student performance, and identify progress in attaining institutional curricular goals and objectives. Key performance indicators (KPIs) and benchmarks were established and have been routinely monitored as part of the novel Drivers of Dashboard Development (3-D) approach to curricular CQI. The systematic 3-D approach has had positive CQI impacts. Substantial improvements over time have been documented in KPIs including timeliness of clerkship grades, midclerkship feedback, student mistreatment policy awareness, and student satisfaction. Stakeholder feedback indicates that the dashboards have provided useful information guiding data-driven curricular changes, such as integrating clinician-scientists as lecturers in basic science courses to clarify the clinical relevance of specific topics. Gaining stakeholder acceptance of the 3-D approach required clear communication of preestablished targets and annual meetings with department leaders and course/clerkship directors. The 3-D approach may be considered by UME programs as a template for providing faculty and leadership with a CQI framework to establish shared goals, document compliance, report accomplishments, enrich communications, facilitate decisions, and improve performance.

Asymmetric continuous-time neural networks without local traps for solving constraint satisfaction problems.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Botond Molnár

Full Text Available There has been a long history of using neural networks for combinatorial optimization and constraint satisfaction problems. Symmetric Hopfield networks and similar approaches use steepest descent dynamics, and they always converge to the closest local minimum of the energy landscape. For finding global minima additional parameter-sensitive techniques are used, such as classical simulated annealing or the so-called chaotic simulated annealing, which induces chaotic dynamics by addition of extra terms to the energy landscape. Here we show that asymmetric continuous-time neural networks can solve constraint satisfaction problems without getting trapped in non-solution attractors. We concentrate on a model solving Boolean satisfiability (k-SAT, which is a quintessential NP-complete problem. There is a one-to-one correspondence between the stable fixed points of the neural network and the k-SAT solutions and we present numerical evidence that limit cycles may also be avoided by appropriately choosing the parameters of the model. This optimal parameter region is fairly independent of the size and hardness of instances, this way parameters can be chosen independently of the properties of problems and no tuning is required during the dynamical process. The model is similar to cellular neural networks already used in CNN computers. On an analog device solving a SAT problem would take a single operation: the connection weights are determined by the k-SAT instance and starting from any initial condition the system searches until finding a solution. In this new approach transient chaotic behavior appears as a natural consequence of optimization hardness and not as an externally induced effect.

Patients' satisfaction: customer relationship management as a new opportunity for quality improvement in thoracic surgery.

Science.gov (United States)

Rocco, Gaetano; Brunelli, Alessandro

2012-11-01

Clinical and nonclinical indicators of performance are meant to provide the surgeon with tools to identify weaknesses to be improved. The World Health Organization's Performance Evaluation Systems represent a multidimensional approach to quality measurement based on several categories made of different indicators. Indicators for patient satisfaction may include overall perceived quality, accessibility, humanization and patient involvement, communication, and trust in health care providers. Patient satisfaction is included among nonclinical indicators of performance in thoracic surgery and is increasingly recognized as one of the outcome measures for delivered quality of care. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[The Relationship Between Burnout Symptoms and Work Satisfaction Among Child Welfare Workers in Residential Care].

Science.gov (United States)

Steinlin, Célia; Dölitzsch, Claudia; Fischer, Sophia; Schmeck, Klaus; Fegert, Jörg M; Schmid, Marc

2016-01-01

Working in residential care is associated with high demands and high stress. As a result, employees may develop symptoms of burnout. These symptoms lead to absence from work and have a negative effect on the continuity and quality of the residential care. Until now, little is known about burnout risks in child welfare workers, although children and adolescents are especially dependent on continuous relationships and healthy caregivers. A better understanding of the relationship between burnout symptoms and work satisfaction may help to identify starting points for prevention and intervention. The present study assessed symptoms of burnout in a sample of 319 social education workers in residential care in Switzerland using the burnout-screening-scales (BOSS). Work satisfaction was assessed with a newly developed questionnaire based on concepts of trauma-sensitive care. The questionnaire was tested for reliability and factorial validity in the present study. In order to estimate the relationship between burnout symptoms and work satisfaction, correlations and relative risks were calculated. Almost one fifth (18 %) of the sample showed a risk of burnout. The principal component analysis of the questionnaire on work satisfaction revealed four factors: support by superiors, participation and transparency; communication and support within the team; gratification in the work; and institutional structures and resources. All four factors as well as the total score showed significant correlations with burnout symptoms. Among employees with a comparably lower work satisfaction, the risk of burnout was 5.4 times higher than among employees with a comparably higher work satisfaction. It is discussed how work satisfaction could be promoted and how, as a result, the quality and continuity of care for the children and adolescents could be improved.

A systematic review of women's satisfaction and regret following risk-reducing mastectomy.

Science.gov (United States)

Braude, Lucy; Kirsten, Laura; Gilchrist, Jemma; Juraskova, Ilona

2017-12-01

A systematic review of quantitative and qualitative studies, to describe patient satisfaction and regret associated with risk-reducing mastectomies (RRM), and the patient-reported factors associated with these among women at high risk of developing breast cancer. Studies were identified using Medline, CINAHL, Embase and PsycInfo databases (1995-2016). Data were extracted and crosschecked for accuracy. Article quality was assessed using standardised criteria. Of the 1657 unique articles identified, 30 studies met the inclusion criteria (n=23 quantitative studies, n=3 qualitative studies, n=4 mixed-method studies). Studies included were cross-sectional (n=23) or retrospective (n=7). General satisfaction with RRM, decision satisfaction and aesthetic satisfaction were generally high, although some women expressed regret around their decision and dissatisfaction with their appearance. Factors associated with both patient satisfaction and regret included: post-operative complications, body image changes, psychological distress and perceived inadequacy of information. While satisfaction with RRM was generally high, some women had regrets and expressed dissatisfaction. Future research is needed to further explore RRM, and to investigate current satisfaction trends given the ongoing improvements to surgical and clinical practice. Offering pre-operative preparation, decisional support and continuous psychological input may help to facilitate satisfaction with this complex procedure. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Meaningful work and mental health: job satisfaction as a moderator.

Science.gov (United States)

Allan, Blake A; Dexter, Chelsea; Kinsey, Rebecca; Parker, Shelby

2018-02-01

Depression, anxiety and stress are common problems for modern workers. Although having meaningful work, or work that is significant, facilitates personal growth, and contributes to the greater good, has been linked to better mental health, people's work might also need to be satisfying or enjoyable to improve outcomes. The purpose of the present study was to examine meaningful work's relation to mental health (i.e. depression, anxiety and stress) and investigate job satisfaction as a moderator of this relation. The study hypotheses were tested with a large, diverse sample recruited from an online source. Partially supporting hypotheses, when controlling for job satisfaction, meaningful work negatively correlated with depression but did not have a significant relation with anxiety and stress. Similarly, job satisfaction negatively predicted depression and stress. Furthermore, the relations between meaningful work and both anxiety and stress were moderated by job satisfaction. Specifically, only people perceiving their work as meaningful and satisfying reported less anxiety and stress. Although continued research is needed, employers and employees may have to target both the meaningfulness and job satisfaction to address the issues of stress and anxiety among working adults.

An investigation into the effects of quality improvement method on patients' satisfaction: a semi experimental research in Iran.

Science.gov (United States)

Navipour, Hasan; Nayeri, Nahid Dehghan; Hooshmand, Abbas; Zargar, Marjaneh Taghavi

2011-01-01

Today, to increase effectiveness is a Strategy for success of organizations and their viability. In health care organization not only service cost- effectiveness is a major problem for productivity and organizational management but also customer-centred is in first priority. Because of these reasons, most of health organization trend to patient satisfaction for their viability. If complex process implemented for viability without attention to patient satisfaction, this is no success result. The FOCUS PDCA process is a new strategy for effectiveness of service quality. To this reason, the recent research done and its objective is to assess effect of FOCUS PDCA process strategy on patient satisfaction in surgery units of hospitals affiliated to Tehran Medical University. This research is a semi experimental with non- equivalent design. The sample was all of patients who hospitalized in two selected surgery units. Self-report was method of data gathering. Patient satisfaction assessed with questionnaire in pre and posttest. Then manipulation implemented as post-operation care process selected. Modelling and opportunity statement Diagrams prepared and improvement team organized. Flow process, convergences and cause- effect charts used to prepare list of items to be improved. Executive program was written. This include personnel training, standard implementation, election and training of quality control nurses (Q.C Ns), daily QC of caring and providing appropriate feed back to personnel, forming group session for determining corrective actions. Then after 1 month patient satisfaction was assessed. Statistical analysis shows this process increase patient satisfaction and it leads to care effectiveness. The findings of the pre-intervention phase indicated that the satisfaction level had been low in both groups and it is not significantly different in the two groups (P> 0.05). There was a significant difference before and after following intervention in the case study

An Investigation into the Effects of Quality Improvement Method on Patients' Satisfaction: A Semi Experimental Research in Iran

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hasan Navipour

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Today, to increase effectiveness is a Strategy for success of organizations and their viability. In health care organization not only service cost- effectiveness is a major problem for productivity and organizational management but also customer-centred is in first priority. Because of these reasons, most of health organization trend to patient satisfaction for their viability. If complex process implemented for viability without attention to patient satisfaction, this is no success result. The FOCUS PDCA process is a new strategy for effectiveness of service quality. To this reason, the recent research done and its objective is to assess effect of FOCUS PDCA process strategy on patient satisfaction in surgery units of hospitals affiliated to Tehran Medical University. This research is a semi experimental with non- equivalent design. The sample was all of patients who hospitalized in two selected surgery units. Self-report was method of data gathering. Patient satisfaction assessed with questionnaire in pre and posttest. Then manipulation implemented as post-operation care process selected. Modelling and opportunity statement Diagrams prepared and improvement team organized. Flow process, convergences and cause- effect charts used to prepare list of items to be improved. Executive program was written. This include personnel training, standard implementation, election and training of quality control nurses (Q.C Ns, daily QC of caring and providing appropriate feed back to personnel, forming group session for determining corrective actions. Then after 1 month patient satisfaction was assessed. Statistical analysis shows this process increase patient satisfaction and it leads to care effectiveness. The findings of the pre-intervention phase indicated that the satisfaction level had been low in both groups and it is not significantly different in the two groups (P> 0.05. There was a significant difference before and after following intervention in

Impact of continuous glucose monitoring on quality of life, treatment satisfaction, and use of medical care resources

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hommel, E; Olsen, B; Battelino, T

2014-01-01

To investigate the impact of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) on health-related quality of life (HRQOL), treatment satisfaction (TS) medical resource use, and indirect costs in the SWITCH study. SWITCH was a multicentre, randomized, crossover study. Patients with type 1 diabetes (n = 153) using...... longer during the sensor-On arm. Regarding indirect costs, children with >70 % sensor usage missed fewer school days, compared with the sensor-Off arm (P = 0.0046) but there was no significant difference in the adults days of work off. The addition of CGM to CSII resulted in better metabolic control...

Dental esthetic satisfaction, received and desired dental treatments for improvement of esthetics.

Science.gov (United States)

Akarslan, Zühre Zafersoy; Sadik, Burak; Erten, Hüya; Karabulut, Erdem

2009-01-01

The purposes of this research were to investigate factors influencing patients' satisfaction with their present dental esthetic, received previous dental treatments on anterior teeth and basic treatments that they wanted to undergo to improve their dental appearance. A total of 1014 patients who attended a dental school in a major city in Turkey participated in the study. The participants were surveyed with a questionnaire containing questions about gender, age, education level, self-reported tooth appearance, received previous dental treatments on anterior teeth and desired basic esthetic dental treatments. Statistical analysis of the verifying data was made with descriptive statistics, chi2 test and multiple logistic regression analyses. According to the analyses of the verifying data, 55.1% of the patients were dissatisfied with the color of their teeth, 42.7% with dental appearance, 29.9% with crowding of anterior teeth, 23.3% were hiding teeth while smiling, 16.1% had non-esthetic restorations and 11.9% thought that their anterior teeth were protruding. Esthetic restoration was found to be the most-performed treatment recently (29.0%) and whitening of teeth was the most-desired dental treatment (49.0%). Gender, age and education level had an effect on satisfaction and received previous and desired dental treatments for improvement of esthetics. Many of the Turkish patients surveyed in the study were dissatisfied and desired the improvement of dental esthetics. Therefore, dentists should consider this as an important dimension in their practice.

Job rotation and internal marketing for increased job satisfaction and organisational commitment in hospital nursing staff.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Su-Yueh; Wu, Wen-Chuan; Chang, Ching-Sheng; Lin, Chia-Tzu

2015-04-01

To develop or enhance the job satisfaction and organisational commitment of nurses by implementing job rotation and internal marketing practices. No studies in the nursing management literature have addressed the integrated relationships among job rotation, internal marketing, job satisfaction and organisational commitment. This cross-sectional study included 266 registered nurses (response rate 81.8%) in two southern Taiwan hospitals. Software used for data analysis were SPSS 14.0 and AMOS 14.0 (structural equation modelling). Job rotation and internal marketing positively affect the job satisfaction and organisational commitment of nurses, and their job satisfaction positively affects their organisational commitment. Job rotation and internal marketing are effective strategies for improving nursing workforce utilisation in health-care organisations because they help to achieve the ultimate goals of increasing the job satisfaction of nurses and encouraging them to continue working in the field. This in turn limits the vicious cycle of high turnover and low morale in organisations, which wastes valuable human resources. Job rotation and internal marketing help nursing personnel acquire knowledge, skills and insights while simultaneously improving their job satisfaction and organisational commitment. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A Typology of Continuous Improvement Implementation Processes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rijnders, Sander; Boer, Harry

2004-01-01

This article presents a typology of continuous improvement (CI) implementation processes. The typology is based on an empirical study of 26 companies engaged in the implementation of CI. The data underpinning the typology was collected through retrospective interviews guided by a semi-structured ......This article presents a typology of continuous improvement (CI) implementation processes. The typology is based on an empirical study of 26 companies engaged in the implementation of CI. The data underpinning the typology was collected through retrospective interviews guided by a semi...

An examination of hospital satisfaction with blood suppliers.

Science.gov (United States)

Carden, Robert; DelliFraine, Jami L

2004-11-01

The purpose of this study was to identify factors that predict overall hospital satisfaction with blood suppliers. The data for this study came from a 2001 satisfaction survey of hospital blood bank managers conducted by the National Blood Data Resource Center. A total of 1325 blood-utilizing hospitals were included in the final study database. The measurement of hospital satisfaction with its blood supplier encompasses the five composites of the SERVQUAL model. The five composites are 1) tangibles, 2) reliability, 3) responsiveness, 4) assurance, and 5) empathy. Linear regression was performed with overall hospital satisfaction as the dependent variable and the five composites of the SERVQUAL model and control variables as predictors of overall hospital satisfaction with blood suppliers. Significant predictors of hospital satisfaction with blood suppliers are satisfaction with medical and clinical support provided by the blood center, satisfaction with the routine delivery schedule, and price (service fee) of red cells. Prior studies have demonstrated the importance of customer satisfaction to organizations. As organizations, blood centers can benefit from improved satisfaction from their hospital customers. Blood center strategies that focus on improving these three predictors of overall hospital satisfaction with primary blood suppliers will be the most likely to improve and/or maintain hospital customer satisfaction with primary blood suppliers.

[Which factors influence job satisfaction and motivation in an institute of radiology?].

Science.gov (United States)

Unterweger, M; Imhof, S; Mohr, H; Römpler, M; Kubik-Huch, R A

2007-08-29

As empirically shown, increasing job satisfaction and motivations correlates with reduced job fluctuation and costs of absenteeism in an organisation. To provide a motivating environment for employees becomes more important in the health-care system and thus also in radiology. The purpose of our study was therefore to evaluate job satisfaction of our team and to define important influencing factors. For data collection, as standardized questionnaire was designed. As a result of a discussion in a focus group, 9 indicators characterizing job satisfaction and motivation were determined (four-point ordinal scale), in addition there were open questions as well as space for comments. The questionnaires were distributed to all employees at the institute during the study period 11/2005. It was assured in the study design that data analysis was anonymous. For statistical analysis, all replies were coded (scale 1-4) and transferred to an excel sheet. Rate of return was 92% (46/50). In general, employees enjoyed work (mean 3.37 +/- 0.5); no significant difference between physicians, technicians and other staff members were observed. Factors most important for personal motivation were good working climate (3.85 +/- 0.4), good reputation of the institute (3.56 +/- 0.8) and personal recognition (3.54 +/- 0.6). Wage raise (3.01 +/- 0.9) and bonus payments (3.11 +/- 0.9) were rated less important. Communication between groups of employees could be improved (2.78 +/- 0.7). When asked, which factors would improve motivation, common answer included teamwork and communication (n = 9), more participation in planning processes (n = 8), more appreciation (n = 7) and continuing education (n = 5). Profound knowledge of factors influencing job satisfaction and motivation of employees allows for the implementation of targeted strategies for continuous improvement.

Continuous Improvement and its Barriers in Electrical and Electronic Industry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ahmad Md Fauzi

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Continuous improvement is one of the core strategies for manufacturing excellent and it is considered vital in today’s business environment. Continuous improvement is an important factor in TQM implementation. However, manufacturers in Electrical and Electronic Industry is facing variety of challenges such as, time constraint, quality issue, headcount issue, human issue and competition in domestic as well as the global market. This paper presents total quality management practices in Electrical and Electronic (EE Industry. These manufacturers have to keep improving in key activities and processes to cope the challenges. Therefore, EE industry realize the importance of continuous improvement in helping the industries by setting clear goals and priorities for the area of improvement. The aims of this study are to determine the main factor in implementing continuous improvement practices, identify tools of continuous improvement that have been used and their obstacle in implementing continuous improvement practices. 200 questionnaires had been distributed to the employees in Electrical and Electronic Industry located at Bayan Lepas, Penang, Malaysia. A total of 41 questionnaires were answered which represented about 20.5% response rates. Survey result shows that teamwork and training and learning are respectively the importance factor and the most practices factor in Electrical and Electronic Industry. Most of the Electrical and Electronic Industry emphasis is on using Lean Manufacturing as the tool of continuous improvement practices. Besides that, Electrical and Electronic Industry faced the problems of lack of budget and lack of worker commitment.

Measuring patient satisfaction with health care treatment using the Short Assessment of Patient Satisfaction measure delivered superior and robust satisfaction estimates.

Science.gov (United States)

Hawthorne, Graeme; Sansoni, Jan; Hayes, Laura; Marosszeky, Nick; Sansoni, Emily

2014-05-01

Reviews of patient satisfaction suggest seven dimensions, each of which should be assessed. This study reports development of a short generic patient satisfaction measure for use in routine clinical practice. Participants were randomly recruited from two Australian incontinence clinics. Participants completed a follow-up questionnaire including patient satisfaction items. Iterative Mokken and Rasch analyses derived the Short Assessment of Patient Satisfaction (SAPS) scale from the item bank. The SAPS psychometric properties illustrated the following features, namely its descriptive system covers all seven patient satisfaction dimensions, there were no misfitting items, and the scale exceeded the Loevinger H criteria for a strong unidimensional scale. The reliability of the SAPS was Cronbach α=0.86. When discriminatory function was examined, the SAPS scale was more sensitive than two other generic patient satisfaction instruments. The SAPS scale is based on a firm theoretical model of patient satisfaction and its descriptive system covers the known dimensions contributing to patient satisfaction. Its internal psychometric properties exceeded standard psychometric standards, and it discriminated at least as well as other longer patient satisfaction measures. Although it needs further validation, the study results suggest that it may be useful for assessing patient satisfaction with health care. Copyright © 2011 SAPS is held and will continue to be held in perpetuity by the authors with a license to the Commonwealth of Australia. Researchers are welcome to use the SAPS subject to acknowledgement/citation of the authors' rights in the usual way. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Continuous improvement and the mini-company concept

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Leede, Jan; Looise, Jan C.

1999-01-01

The key issue of continuous improvement (CI) seems to be the problem of combining extensive employee involvement with market orientation and continuation of CI. In this article we review some existing organisational designs for CI on these three essential characteristics of CI. As an alternative to

Construct of Dialysis Employee Satisfaction: Acquiring Satisfaction Factors and Their Contributions.

Science.gov (United States)

Gu, Xiuzhu; Itoh, Kenji

2015-10-01

We developed a construct of dialysis employees' satisfaction as an assessment framework and identified the crucial factors that contribute to overall job satisfaction. We also seek to capture some important characteristics of dialysis professionals' job satisfaction/dissatisfaction in Japan. A questionnaire was developed, including 35 facet-specific job-related satisfaction and 10 general satisfaction items in closed-ended questions. A questionnaire-based survey was conducted between August and October 2013. A total of 799 valid responses (87% of response rate) were collected from 46 physicians, 470 nurses and 251 technologists in the dialysis department of 43 facilities in Japan. Five satisfaction factors were derived by applying principal component analysis with 61% of cumulative variance accounted for. Physicians, nurses and technologists in the dialysis department shared a similar trend of job satisfaction that they were more satisfied with leadership, and communication and teamwork among the five factors, whereas their satisfaction level was relatively low with salary and welfare conditions. Physicians expressed the strongest satisfaction with any factor while nurses were the least satisfied. Nurses' and technologists' overall job satisfaction was mostly determined by satisfaction with self-actualization, and work demands and workload. A five-factor construct of dialysis employee satisfaction was identified. Overall job satisfaction of dialysis nurses and technologists were not overly high in Japan, and this seems to be caused by their relatively low satisfaction with self-actualization and with work demands and workload. Therefore, it is suggested that their work conditions and environment must be improved to support their self-actualization and to reduce their workload. © 2015 The Authors. Therapeutic Apheresis and Dialysis © 2015 International Society for Apheresis.

Effects of Working Couple's Retirement Sequence on Satisfaction in Patriarchal Culture Country: Probing on Gender Difference.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Ayoung; Cho, Joonmo

2017-01-01

We examined the effects of the differences in the retirement sequence (i.e., who retires first between spouses) on satisfaction in Korea of patriarchal culture. Our empirical study demonstrates that households where men retired first had a much lower satisfaction than households where women retired first. In addition, men were found to show lower satisfaction than wives in both households where women retire first and the households where men retire first. Retirement sequence affecting their satisfaction at the point when only one of the spouses is retired continues to affect their satisfaction after both of them are retired. This means that the difference in the couple's retirement sequence has an ongoing effect on their later happiness. The analysis of the effect of a couple's retirement sequence on the satisfaction in their old life may be useful for improving an individual and couples' quality of life in countries with similar cultures.

A randomised controlled trial to improve the role of the general practitioner in cancer rehabilitation: effect on patients’ satisfaction with their general practitioners

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bergholdt, Stinne Holm; Gilså Hansen, Dorte; Larsen, Pia Veldt

2013-01-01

' rehabilitation course. OUTCOME MEASURES: 6 months after inclusion of the patient, patient satisfaction with their GP during the last 12 months in five different dimensions of GP care was assessed using the Danish version of the EuroPEP (European Patients Evaluate General Practice Care) questionnaire (DanPEP). 14....... Subgroup analysis of the patients with breast cancer showed statistically significant improvement of satisfaction with the GP in two of the five DanPEP dimensions. CONCLUSIONS: This complex intervention aiming at improving GPs' services in cancer rehabilitation had no impact on patient satisfaction. TRIAL...

Restaurant customer satisfaction and return patronage in a Bloemfontein shopping mall

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hermanus Johannes Moolman

2011-12-01

. Implications: From a managerial perspective, it is important for mall restaurateurs to continuously strive to increase the levels of customer satisfaction and return patronage by emphasising the dining attributes identified in this article. Mall management needs to monitor customers' satisfaction in those restaurants that obtained significantly lower customer satisfaction ratings. Restaurateurs should address areas identified for improvement by this research. Originality / value: This article offers the South African restaurant subsector increased insight into customers' satisfaction and return patronage. The contribution of this article is unique in that, for the first time, customer satisfaction and return patronage are investigated from the context of restaurants situated in the same mall. The research findings supported the strategic responsible growth objectives of the National Tourism Sector Strategy.

49 CFR 1111.6 - Satisfaction of complaint.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 49 Transportation 8 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Satisfaction of complaint. 1111.6 Section 1111.6 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation (Continued) SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION RULES OF PRACTICE COMPLAINT AND INVESTIGATION PROCEDURES § 1111.6 Satisfaction of...

Occupational Analysis: A Continuous Improvement Approach

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Duffy, Tom

1998-01-01

.... In doing so, the Air Force has implemented "Quality Air Force (QAF)" (AF Handbook 90-502). QAF is a leadership commitment that inspires trust, teamwork, and continuous improvement everywhere in the Air Force...

Job and career satisfaction among pharmacy preceptors.

Science.gov (United States)

Payakachat, Nalin; Ounpraseuth, Songthip; Ragland, Denise; Murawski, Matthew M

2011-10-10

To examine the perceived benefit of job and career satisfaction among pharmacist preceptors and to explore other factors that might influence satisfaction. A cross-sectional self-administered survey instrument was mailed to pharmacists in the South Central region of the United States who had active 2010 licenses to investigate whether being a pharmacist preceptor increases job and career satisfaction. Twenty-three percent of the 363 respondents were active preceptors and 62% of these reported that they had been preceptors at some point in the past. Being an active preceptor was significantly related to increased job satisfaction (p = 0.01) but not to career satisfaction. Having a perceived benefit of continuing education and being professionally challenged at work also were associated with increased job and career satisfaction (p job satisfaction.

The Students Satisfaction Oriented: Academic Service Improvement Strategy, Department of Aquatic Resources Management, Bogor Agricultural University, Indonesia

Science.gov (United States)

Widaryanti; Daryanto, Arief; Fauzi, Anas Miftah

2016-01-01

Higher education institutions must have a strategy change management in the increasingly competitive business environment. A continous performance improvement should be made accordingly. This study was conducted with the case of MSP-IPB, to analyze the priority of academic services improvement which were oriented in student satisfaction. This…

Registered nurses' self-nurturance and life and career satisfaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Nemcek, Mary Ann

2007-08-01

Knowledge of factors that help nurses thrive, including satisfaction with life and self-nurturance, can be used to enhance retention of a healthy work force. This study determined whether nurses are happy or satisfied with their lives; how self-nurturing or "good to self" they are; and whether a relationship exists among self-nurturance, life satisfaction, and career satisfaction. A descriptive, correlational study of 136 registered nurses involving measures of self-nurturance and life and career satisfaction was conducted. Mean scores for life satisfaction and self-nurturance were consistent with those from studies of well adults. Self-nurturance, life satisfaction, and career satisfaction were positively correlated with each other; thus, improving one is expected to improve the others. Knowledge of the significant positive correlation among life satisfaction, self-nurturance, and career satisfaction may prove useful in improving the mental health and safety of nurses. Strategies consistent with Magnet hospital characteristics are suggested for the occupational health nurse.

Structured nursing communication on interdisciplinary acute care teams improves perceptions of safety, efficiency, understanding of care plan and teamwork as well as job satisfaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Gausvik, Christian; Lautar, Ashley; Miller, Lisa; Pallerla, Harini; Schlaudecker, Jeffrey

2015-01-01

Efficient, accurate, and timely communication is required for quality health care and is strongly linked to health care staff job satisfaction. Developing ways to improve communication is key to increasing quality of care, and interdisciplinary care teams allow for improved communication among health care professionals. This study examines the patient- and family-centered use of structured interdisciplinary bedside rounds (SIBR) on an acute care for the elderly (ACE) unit in a 555-bed metropolitan community hospital. This mixed methods study surveyed 24 nurses, therapists, patient care assistants, and social workers to measure perceptions of teamwork, communication, understanding of the plan for the day, safety, efficiency, and job satisfaction. A similar survey was administered to a control group of 38 of the same staff categories on different units in the same hospital. The control group units utilized traditional physician-centric rounding. Significant differences were found in each category between the SIBR staff on the ACE unit and the control staff. Nurse job satisfaction is an important marker of retention and recruitment, and improved communication may be an important aspect of increasing this satisfaction. Furthermore, improved communication is key to maintaining a safe hospital environment with quality patient care. Interdisciplinary team rounds that take place at the bedside improve both nursing satisfaction and related communication markers of quality and safety, and may help to achieve higher nurse retention and safer patient care. These results point to the interconnectedness and dual benefit to both job satisfaction and patient quality of care that can come from enhancements to team communication.

Patient Satisfaction and Prognosis for Functional Improvement and Deterioration, Institutionalization, and Death Among Medicare Beneficiaries Over 2 Years.

Science.gov (United States)

Bogner, Hillary R; de Vries McClintock, Heather F; Kurichi, Jibby E; Kwong, Pui L; Xie, Dawei; Hennessy, Sean; Streim, Joel E; Stineman, Margaret G

2017-01-01

To examine how patient satisfaction with care coordination and quality and access to medical care influence functional improvement or deterioration (activity limitation stage transitions), institutionalization, or death among older adults. National representative sample with 2-year follow-up. Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey from calendar years 2001 to 2008. Community-dwelling adults (N=23,470) aged ≥65 years followed for 2 years. Not applicable. A multinomial logistic regression model taking into account the complex survey design was used to examine the association between patient satisfaction with care coordination and quality and patient satisfaction with access to medical care and activities of daily living (ADL) stage transitions, institutionalization, or death after 2 years, adjusting for baseline socioeconomics and health-related characteristics. Out of 23,470 Medicare beneficiaries, 14,979 (63.8% weighted) remained stable in ADL stage, 2508 (10.7% weighted) improved, 3210 (13.3% weighted) deteriorated, 582 (2.5% weighted) were institutionalized, and 2281 (9.7% weighted) died. Beneficiaries who were in the top quartile of satisfaction with care coordination and quality were less likely to be institutionalized (adjusted relative risk ratio [RRR], .68; 95% confidence interval [CI], .54-.86). Beneficiaries who were in the top quartile of satisfaction with access to medical care were less likely to functionally deteriorate (adjusted RRR, .87; 95% CI, .79-.97), be institutionalized (adjusted RRR, .72; 95% CI, .56-.92), or die (adjusted RRR, .86; 95% CI, .75-.98). Knowledge of patient satisfaction with medical care and risk of functional deterioration may be helpful for monitoring and addressing disability-related health care disparities and the effect of ongoing policy changes among Medicare beneficiaries. Copyright © 2016 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Improving student satisfaction of Andalas University Dormitory through Service Quality and Importance Performance Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Putri, Nilda Tri; Anggraini, Larisa

2018-03-01

Residential satisfaction of university dormitories serve as one of the significant aspects in the framework of sustainability in higher education. This research investigated the quality of dormitory services in Andalas University Dormitory based on student’s satisfaction. According to management residential, the enrollment of residential student has increased gradually in Andalas University. In 2016, capacity of residential student is 1686, but only 1081 students can stay at dormitory because some rooms in bad condition. There are a lot of problems and complaints regarding dormitory’s service quality i.e water problems, leaky rooms and bathrooms, cleanliness and inadequate facilities in residential college. In addition, there are 20% of last year student’s residential check out before the time of contract runs out. The aim of this research are understanding the level of GAP exists between expectation and perception students’ residential in the content of service quality and evaluating the improvement priority services using Importance Performance Analysis. This study is measuring service quality by using Responsiveness, Assurance, Empathy, Reliability and Tangible dimension. A negative GAP indicates that the actual services are than what was expected and the GAP is highlighted area for improvement. Based on IPA, management should improve this following dimension services : responsiveness, tangible and assurance dimension.

Seeking what matters: determinants of clients' satisfaction in obstetric care services in Pakistan.

Science.gov (United States)

Ali, Moazzam; Qazi, Muhammad Suleman; Seuc, Armando

2014-01-01

Aim of this study was to determine the dimensions of the service quality in the public hospitals and evaluate the determinants of client satisfaction in obstetric health in the context of Pakistan. The present research evaluates the application of an integrated client satisfaction model that draws mainly from the original SERVQUAL framework in obstetric health services. We conducted a cross-sectional study, in four public district hospitals in Pakistan, enrolling 1101 clients attending obstetric health care services. Measures of service quality and determinants of client satisfaction were factor-analysed and multiple regression analysis was used to test the hypothesis. The client satisfaction increased significantly with increases in respondent's age, number of children, number of visits and with decrease in educational status. Factor analysis revealed five service quality dimensions; and multiple regression analysis showed that all five dimensions of service quality in obstetric care were significant in explaining client satisfaction. The most powerful predictor for client satisfaction was provider communication with clients, followed by responsiveness and discipline. Interventions aimed at improving client provider interaction would not only advance the clinical provision of services, butwould also result in greater patient satisfaction with the services provided, leading to higher levels of facility utilization and continuity of care. Better client provider interaction can be accomplished at hospital's level through focused training of all cadre of service providers sensitizing them on clients' needs. Results also showed that the proposed framework is a valid and flexible instrument in assessing and monitoring service quality and enabling staff to identify where improvements are needed, from the clients' perspective.

Job satisfaction among a multigenerational nursing workforce.

Science.gov (United States)

Wilson, Barbara; Squires, Mae; Widger, Kimberley; Cranley, Lisa; Tourangeau, Ann

2008-09-01

To explore generational differences in job satisfaction. Effective retention strategies are required to mitigate the international nursing shortage. Job satisfaction, a strong and consistent predictor of retention, may differ across generations. Understanding job satisfaction generational differences may lead to increasing clarity about generation-specific retention approaches. The Ontario Nurse Survey collected data from 6541 Registered Nurses. Participants were categorized as Baby Boomer, Generation X or Generation Y based on birth year. Multivariate analysis of variance explored generational differences for overall and specific satisfaction components. In overall job satisfaction and five specific satisfaction components, Baby Boomers were significantly more satisfied than Generations X and Y. It is imperative to improve job satisfaction for younger generations of nurses. Strategies to improve job satisfaction for younger generations of nurses may include creating a shared governance framework where nurses are empowered to make decisions. Implementing shared governance, through nurse-led unit-based councils, may lead to greater job satisfaction, particularly for younger nurses. Opportunities to self schedule or job share may be other potential approaches to increase job satisfaction, especially for younger generations of nurses. Another potential strategy would be to aggressively provide and support education and career-development opportunities.

An application of importance satisfaction analysis (ISA) method in improving the internship programme for Malaysia Higher Learning Institution

Science.gov (United States)

Hamid, Mohamad Shukri Abdul; Ahad, Nor Aishah; Jamil, Jastini Mohd.; Zulkifli, Malina; Yusof, Zahayu Md.

2015-12-01

Nowadays most of the university students are required to undergo internship as a requirement before graduation. Internship is very important for students to practice what they have learned in the classroom. During internship students are exposed to the actual situation of how to deal with customers and suppliers which can provide added value to the students. In the choice of company for internship, students also consider a number of things such as internship allowances, work environment, interesting work, stable work shift and other fridge benefits. Study on the importance and satisfaction of students is important to improve the internship program. Importance means how students feel important to the attributes and satisfaction means how students feel after undergoing internship. The aim of this study is to investigate the gaps between students' important and satisfaction on the internship programme and to identify the internship experience factors that need to be improved. Gap analysis has been used to show the difference between how important attributes are to the studentss and how satisfied they are with those attributes. Result shows that the attributes that has high importance and satisfaction to the students are good peer relationship, broad work experience, competitive fringe benefits, interesting work, work environment, sufficient supervisory support, appreciation and praise from manager, feeling of being a team members, able to identify self-strength and able to develop technical skills. In contrast, three attributes are considered importance but low satisfaction. These attributes are internship allowances, opportunity for self-development, and able to develop interests through practice.

Social capital among healthcare professionals: A prospective study of its importance for job satisfaction, work engagement and engagement in clinical improvements.

Science.gov (United States)

Strömgren, Marcus; Eriksson, Andrea; Bergman, David; Dellve, Lotta

2016-01-01

Social capital can be an important resource to facilitate the needed improvements in quality of care and efficiency in hospitals. To assess the importance of social capital (recognition, vertical trust, horizontal trust and reciprocity) for job satisfaction, work engagement and engagement in clinical improvements. A prospective cohort design was used. Intensive care units and emergency, surgical and medical units at five Swedish hospitals with ongoing development of their processes of care. Healthcare professionals (physicians, registered nurses, assistant nurses) at five Swedish midsize hospitals. The participants answered a questionnaire at two occasions, NN=1602 at baseline and NN=1548 at one-year follow-up. Mean hospital response rate was 53% at baseline and 59% at follow-up. Univariate, multivariate and logistic regression analyses were performed, and the prospective analysis was based on 477 respondents. Social capital was associated with healthcare professionals' general work engagement and job satisfaction. Analysis showed positive associations between all measured aspects of social capital and engagement in clinical improvements of patient safety and quality of care. The prospective analysis showed that increased social capital predicted increased job satisfaction, work engagement and engagement in clinical improvements of patient safety. Social capital is strongly related to job satisfaction and active engagement with clinical improvements. The findings contribute to a deeper knowledge of social capital as a predictive factor that influences patient safety and health among healthcare staff. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Proactive behaviour towards strength use and deficit improvement, hope and efficacy as predictors of life satisfaction amongst first-year university students

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Frederick W. Stander

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Orientation: The orientation of this study is towards proactive behaviour towards strength use (PBSU and proactive behaviour towards deficit improvement (PBDI and their relationship with hope, efficacy and life satisfaction of first-year university students. Research purpose: To (1 determine whether PBSU and PBDI predict life satisfaction, (2 determine whether PBSU and PBDI predict hope and efficacy and (3 investigate a structural model where hope and efficacy mediate the relationship between PBSU and PBDI and life satisfaction. Motivation for the study: To validate the use of PBSU and PBDI as resources that will assist first-year university student to attain life satisfaction and to delineate the need for universities to incorporate interventions that promote PBSU and PBDI amongst these students. This supports the case for positive organisational behaviour. Research design, approach and method: A convenience sample of 566 first-year students from a university in Gauteng was used with a cross-sectional research design. Structural equation modelling was used to establish the validity of the measurement model, fit for the structural model and to test the mediating effects. Main findings: The results indicated that PBSU was a significant predictor of hope, efficacy and life satisfaction and that PBDI was a significant predictor of hope and efficacy. Hope mediated the relationship between PBSU, PBDI and life satisfaction. Efficacy mediated the relationship between PBSU and life satisfaction. Practical/managerial implications: Evidence suggests that PBSU was a predictor of life satisfaction. This was not the case with PBDI, which in fact negatively correlated with life satisfaction. Both PBSU and PBDI, however, predicted hope and efficacy. On a practical level this reveals that universities should, in line with positive organisational behaviour, introduce interventions that develop PBSU and PBDI amongst first-year students. It further suggests that

Constraint satisfaction problems CSP formalisms and techniques

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Ghedira, Khaled

2013-01-01

A Constraint Satisfaction Problem (CSP) consists of a set of variables, a domain of values for each variable and a set of constraints. The objective is to assign a value for each variable such that all constraints are satisfied. CSPs continue to receive increased attention because of both their high complexity and their omnipresence in academic, industrial and even real-life problems. This is why they are the subject of intense research in both artificial intelligence and operations research. This book introduces the classic CSP and details several extensions/improvements of both formalisms a

THE LINK BETWEEN STUDENTS' SATISFACTION WITH FACULTY, OVERALL STUDENTS' SATISFACTION WITH STUDENT LIFE AND STUDENT PERFORMANCES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zoran Mihanović

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Customer satisfaction has long been recognized as a central concept of all business activities. Satisfaction can serve as an indicator of success of the company, both in the past and present, as well as an indicator of future performance. High quality service to students is a prerequisite of maintaining competitiveness in the market of higher education. A relationship that is created between the expectations of students and their satisfaction with the quality of service that provides educational institution plays an important role in shaping the reputation of academic institutions. Academic institutions are becoming aware of the importance of student satisfaction, because satisfaction positively influences their decision to continue their education at this institution, and the positive word of mouth that will attract prospective students. Satisfaction will affect student motivation, and therefore their performance. This paper provides insight into the marketing aspects of customer satisfaction, primarily insight into the satisfaction of students in the educational sector. The aim is to establish the influence of satisfaction various factors related to the university and higher education to the satisfaction of student life, and does student life satisfaction affect the overall happiness and student performance. The research was conducted on the student population of the University of Split, on a sample of 191 respondents. The research was conducted with the help of online survey questionnaire. The claim that student’s satisfactions with housing affect the satisfaction with the quality of student life is rejected. The results confirmed that the student’s satisfaction with university contents, university bodies and services, teaching, teaching methods and academic reputation affects the satisfaction of student life and student life satisfaction affect the student performance.

Using Hierarchical Machine Learning to Improve Player Satisfaction in a Soccer Videogame

OpenAIRE

Collins, Brian; Rovatsos, Michael

2006-01-01

This paper describes an approach to using a hierarchical machine learning model in a two player 3D physics-based soccer video game to improve human player satisfaction. Learning is accomplished at two layers to form a complete game-playing agent such that higher level strategy learning is dependent on lower-level learning of basic behaviors.Supervised learning is used to train neural networks on human data to model the basic behaviors. The reinforcement learning algorithms Sarsa (λ) and Q(λ) ...

Does Person-Centered Care Improve Residents' Satisfaction With Nursing Home Quality?

Science.gov (United States)

Poey, Judith L; Hermer, Linda; Cornelison, Laci; Kaup, Migette L; Drake, Patrick; Stone, Robyn I; Doll, Gayle

2017-11-01

Person-centered care (PCC) is meant to enhance nursing home residents' quality of life (QOL). Including residents' perspectives is critical to determining whether PCC is meeting residents' needs and desires. This study examines whether PCC practices promote satisfaction with QOL and quality of care and services (QOC and QOS) among nursing home residents. A longitudinal, retrospective cohort study using an in-person survey. Three hundred twenty nursing homes in Kansas enrolled or not enrolled in a pay-for-performance program, Promoting Excellent Alternatives in Kansas (PEAK 2.0), to promote PCC in nursing homes. A total of 6214 nursing home residents in 2013-2014 and 5538 residents in 2014-2015, with a Brief Interview for Mental Status score ≥8, participated in face-to-face interviews. Results were aggregated to the nursing home level. My InnerView developed a Resident Satisfaction Survey for Kansas composed of 32 questions divided into QOL, QOC, QOS, and global satisfaction subdomains. After controlling for facility characteristics, satisfaction with overall QOL and QOC was higher in homes that had fully implemented PCC. Although some individual measures in the QOS domain (eg, food) showed greater satisfaction at earlier levels of implementation, high satisfaction was observed primarily in homes that had fully implemented PCC. These findings provide evidence for the effectiveness of PCC implementation on nursing home resident satisfaction. The PEAK 2.0 program may provide replicable methods for nursing homes and states to implement PCC systematically. Copyright © 2017 AMDA – The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Continuous improvement in the Netherlands: A survey-based study into the current practices of continuous improvement

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Middel, H.G.A.; op de Weegh, S.; Gieskes, J.F.B.; Schuring, R.W.

2004-01-01

Continuous Improvement is a well-known and consolidated concept in literature and practice and is considered vital in today¿s business environment. In 2003 a survey, as part of the international CINet survey, has been performed in the Netherlands in order to gain insight into the current practices

Continuous improvement methods in the nuclear industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heising, Carolyn D.

1995-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to investigate management methods for improved safety in the nuclear power industry. Process improvement management, methods of business process reengineering, total quality management, and continued process improvement (KAIZEN) are explored. The anticipated advantages of extensive use of improved process oriented management methods in the nuclear industry are increased effectiveness and efficiency in virtually all tasks of plant operation and maintenance. Important spin off include increased plant safety and economy. (author). 6 refs., 1 fig

Satisfaction with care in peritoneal dialysis patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Kirchgessner, J; Perera-Chang, M; Klinkner, G; Soley, I; Marcelli, D; Arkossy, O; Stopper, A; Kimmel, P L

2006-10-01

Patient satisfaction is an important aspect of dialysis care, only recently evaluated in clinical studies. We developed a tool to assess peritoneal dialysis (PD) customer satisfaction, and sought to evaluate and validate the Customer Satisfaction Questionnaire (CSQ), quantifying PD patient satisfaction. The CSQ included questions regarding administrative issues, Delivery Service, PD Training, Handling Requests, and transportation. The study was performed using interviews in all Hungarian Fresenius Medical Care dialysis centers offering PD. CSQ results were compared with psychosocial measures to identify if patient satisfaction was associated with perception of social support and illness burden, or depression. We assessed CSQ internal consistency and validity. Factor analysis explored potential underlying dimensions of the CSQ. One hundred and thirty-three patients treated with PD for end-stage renal disease for more than 3 months were interviewed. The CSQ had high internal consistency. There was high patient satisfaction with customer service. PD patient satisfaction scores correlated with quality of life (QOL) and social support measures, but not with medical or demographic factors, or depressive affect. The CSQ is a reliable tool to assess PD customer satisfaction. PD patient satisfaction is associated with perception of QOL. Efforts to improve customer satisfaction may improve PD patients' quantity as well as QOL.

Patient perspectives about bariatric surgery unveil experiences, education, satisfaction, and recommendations for improvement.

Science.gov (United States)

Groller, Karen D; Teel, Cynthia; Stegenga, Kristin H; El Chaar, Maher

2018-02-17

Following bariatric surgery, up to 35% of patients struggle with strict regimens and experience weight recidivism within 2 years [1-5]. Accredited weight management centers (WMC) must provide educational programs and support patients in lifestyle changes before and after surgery. Educational programs, however, may not be evidence-based or patient-centered and may vary in curriculum, approach, and educator type [6]. To obtain patient descriptions about the weight loss surgery (WLS) experience, including education, satisfaction, and recommendations for improvement. Participants were recruited from a university hospital-based WMC in Pennsylvania. This qualitative descriptive study used purposive sampling and inductive content analysis. A NEW ME-VERSION 2.0, encompassed themes from semistructured interviews with 11 participants (36% male). Theme 1: Programming and Tools, explained how individuals undergoing WLS found support through educational programming. Theme 2: Updates and Upgrades, identified issues surrounding quality of life and challenges before and after surgery. Theme 3: Lessons Learned and Future Considerations, identified satisfaction levels and recommendations for improving the WLS experience. Participants reported positive experiences, acknowledging educational programs and extensive WMC resources, yet also offered recommendations for improving educational programming. Patient narratives provided evidence about the WLS experience. Achievement of weight goals, adherence to rules, and improved health status contributed to perceptions of WLS success. Participants encouraged educators to identify expected outcomes of educational programming, monitor holistic transformations, foster peer support, and use technology in WMC programming. Results also validated the need for the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program's education requirement (standard 5.1). Future educational research could help develop best practices in WLS

Patient satisfaction: focusing on "excellent".

Science.gov (United States)

Otani, Koichiro; Waterman, Brian; Faulkner, Kelly M; Boslaugh, Sarah; Burroughs, Thomas E; Dunagan, W Claiborne

2009-01-01

In an emerging competitive market such as healthcare, managers should focus on achieving excellent ratings to distinguish their organization from others. When it comes to customer loyalty, "excellent" has a different meaning. Customers who are merely satisfied often do not come back. The purpose of this study was to find out what influences adult patients to rate their overall experience as "excellent." The study used patient satisfaction data collected from one major academic hospital and four community hospitals. After conducting a multiple logistic regression analysis, certain attributes were shown to be more likely than others to influence patients to rate their experiences as excellent. The study revealed that staff care is the most influential attribute, followed by nursing care. These two attributes are distinctively stronger drivers of overall satisfaction than are the other attributes studied (i.e., physician care, admission process, room, and food). Staff care and nursing care are under the control of healthcare managers. If improvements are needed, they can be accomplished through training programs such as total quality management or continuous quality improvement, through which staff employees and nurses learn to be sensitive to patients' needs. Satisfying patients' needs is the first step toward having loyal patients, so hospitals that strive to ensure their patients are completely satisfied are more likely to prosper.

Postoperative improvement in acoustic rhinometry measurements after septoplasty correlates with long-term satisfaction

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Toyserkani, N M; Frisch, Thomas; von Buchwald, Christian

2013-01-01

Not much is known about long-term satisfaction of septoplasty. Our goal was to compare pre- and postoperative acoustic rhinometry measurements with satisfaction 11 years after surgery.......Not much is known about long-term satisfaction of septoplasty. Our goal was to compare pre- and postoperative acoustic rhinometry measurements with satisfaction 11 years after surgery....

Design of launch systems using continuous improvement process

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Richard W.

1995-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to identify a systematic process for improving ground operations for future launch systems. This approach is based on the Total Quality Management (TQM) continuous improvement process. While the continuous improvement process is normally identified with making incremental changes to an existing system, it can be used on new systems if they use past experience as a knowledge base. In the case of the Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV), the Space Shuttle operations provide many lessons. The TQM methodology used for this paper will be borrowed from the United States Air Force 'Quality Air Force' Program. There is a general overview of the continuous improvement process, with concentration on the formulation phase. During this phase critical analyses are conducted to determine the strategy and goals for the remaining development process. These analyses include analyzing the mission from the customers point of view, developing an operations concept for the future, assessing current capabilities and determining the gap to be closed between current capabilities and future needs and requirements. A brief analyses of the RLV, relative to the Space Shuttle, will be used to illustrate the concept. Using the continuous improvement design concept has many advantages. These include a customer oriented process which will develop a more marketable product and a better integration of operations and systems during the design phase. But, the use of TQM techniques will require changes, including more discipline in the design process and more emphasis on data gathering for operational systems. The benefits will far outweigh the additional effort.

Continuous improvement of pump seals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wong, W.; Eyvindson, A.; Rhodes, D.B.

2003-01-01

Pump seal reliability continues to be an area needing improvement and ongoing vigilance. Methods have been developed for identifying and assessing factors relating to seal performance, selecting the most relevant ones for a specific station, and then focusing on the most significant aspects and how to improve. Discussion invariably addresses maintenance practices, seal design, monitoring capabilities, operating conditions, transients, and pump and motor design. Success in reliability improvement requires ongoing dialogue among the station operators, pump manufacturers and seal designers. AECL CAN-seals lead the nuclear industry in reliability and seal life. They effectively save operators millions of dollars in outage time and person-rem. This paper describes some of the significant developments in AECL's ongoing program in seal R and D, as well as recent new installations following the most demanding seal qualification programs to date. (author)

Spirituality and job satisfaction among hospice interdisciplinary team members.

Science.gov (United States)

Clark, Leah; Leedy, Stephen; McDonald, Laurie; Muller, Barbara; Lamb, Cheryl; Mendez, Tracy; Kim, Sehwan; Schonwetter, Ronald

2007-12-01

As a continuing effort to enhance the quality of palliative care for the dying, this study examined (1) the prevalence of spirituality among hospice interdisciplinary team (IDT) members; (2) whether spirituality is related to job satisfaction; and (3) the structural path relationships among four variables: spiritual belief, integration of spirituality at work, self actualization and job satisfaction. The study surveyed 215 hospice IDT members who completed the Jarel Spiritual Well-Being Scale, the Chamiec-Case Spirituality Integration and Job Satisfaction Scales. Multiple regression and structural path modeling methods were applied to explain the path relationships involving all four variables. The IDT members surveyed were: nurses, 46.4%; home health aids, 24.9%; social workers, 17.4%; chaplains, 4.2%; physicians, 2.3%; and other, 4.8%. Ninety-eight percent of the respondents viewed themselves as having spiritual well-being. On a 0-100 scale, IDT staff reported high spiritual belief (mean = 89.4) and they were self-actualizing (mean = 82.6). Most reported high job satisfaction (mean = 79.3) and spiritual integration (mean = 67.9). In multiple regression, spirituality, integration and self-actualization explained 22% of the variation in job satisfaction (R = 0.48; adjusted R(2) = 0.218; df = 3,175; F = 17.2; p = 0.001). Structural path models revealed that job satisfaction is more likely to be realized by a model that transforms one's spirituality into processes of integrating spirituality at work and self actualization (chi(2) = 0.614; df = 1; p = 0.433) than a model that establishes a direct path from spirituality to job satisfaction (chi(2) = 1.65; df = 1; p = 0.199). Hospice IDT member's integration of their spirituality at work and greater self actualization significantly improve job satisfaction.

An innovative nonpharmacological intervention combined with intravenous patient-controlled analgesia increased patient global improvement in pain and satisfaction after major surgery

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chuang CC

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Chia-Chun Chuang,1 Chien-Ching Lee,1,2 Li-Kai Wang,1 Bor-Shyh Lin,2 Wen-Ju Wu,1 Chung-Han Ho,3 Jen-Yin Chen1,4 1Department of Anesthesiology, Chi Mei Medical Center, 2Department of Imaging and Biomedical Photonics, National Chiao Tung University, 3Department of Medical Research, Chi Mei Medical Center, 4Department of the Senior Citizen Service Management, Chia Nan University of Pharmacy and Science, Tainan, Taiwan, Republic of China Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate whether a nonpharmacological approach through implementation of a communication improvement program (named CICARE for Connect, Introduce, Communicate, Ask, Respond and Exit into standard operating procedure (SOP in acute pain service (APS improved satisfaction in patients receiving intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (IV-PCA.Patients and methods: This was a nonrandomized before–after study. Adult patients (aged between 20 and 80 years who received IV-PCA after major surgery were included. Implementing CICARE into SOP was conducted in APS. Anonymous questionnaires were used to measure outcomes in this prospective two-part survey. The first part completed by APS nurses contained patients’ characteristics, morphine dosage, delivery/demand ratios, IV-PCA side effects and pain at rest measured with an 11-point numeric rating scale (NRS, 0–10. A score of NRS ≥4 was defined as inadequately treated pain. The ten-question second part was completed by patients voluntarily after IV-PCA was discontinued. Each question was assessed with a 5-point Likert scale (1: extremely poor; 5: excellent. Patients were separated into “before” and “after” CICARE groups. Primary outcomes were patient global impression of improvement in pain (PGI-Improvement and patient satisfaction. Secondary outcomes included quality of communication skills, instrument proficiency and accessibility/availability of IV-PCA.Results: The response rate was 55.3%, with 187 usable questionnaires. CICARE

Shared medical appointments: improving access, outcomes, and satisfaction for patients with chronic cardiac diseases.

Science.gov (United States)

Bartley, Kelly Bauer; Haney, Rebecca

2010-01-01

Improving access to care, health outcomes, and patient satisfaction are primary objectives for healthcare practices. This article outlines benefits, concerns, and possible challenges of shared medical appointments (SMAs) for patients and providers. The SMA model was designed to support providers' demanding schedules by allowing patients with the same chronic condition to be seen in a group setting. By concentrating on patient education and disease management, interactive meetings provide an opportunity for patients to share both successes and struggles with others experiencing similar challenges. Studies demonstrated that SMAs improved patient access, enhanced outcomes, and promoted patient satisfaction. This article describes the potential benefits of SMAs for patients with chronic heart disease, which consumes a large number of healthcare dollars related to hospital admissions, acute exacerbations, and symptom management. Education for self-management of chronic disease can become repetitive and time consuming. The SMA model introduces a fresh and unique style of healthcare visits, allowing providers to devote more time and attention to patients and improve productivity. The SMA model provides an outstanding method for nurse practitioners to demonstrate their role as a primary care provider, by leading patients in group discussions and evaluating their current health status. Patient selection, preparation, and facilitation of an SMA are discussed to demonstrate the complementary nature of an SMA approach in a healthcare practice.

Job satisfaction among hospital staff working in a Government teaching hospital of India

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Poonam Jaiswal

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Background: In a resource-limited and high burden disease setting, satisfied human resource is an asset in terms of high productivity, efficiency and quality care. Aim: To assess job satisfaction among permanent employees working in a government hospital. Materials and Methods: A sample of 200 staff members was interviewed using 34-item, Likert response based, modified job satisfaction scale. Key factors for job satisfaction were identified after subjecting data to principal component analysis, varimax rotation and multivariate analysis using step-wise regression procedure. Results: The mean job satisfaction index was computed to be in a similar range, but was found to be highest for nurses (0.68, followed by doctors (0.66, support staff (0.63 and technicians (0.62. Nine uncorrelated and critical factors related to job satisfaction that explained 68.09% of the variability was identified, that is, communication, pay/salary, working conditions, organization supervision system, co-workers, workload, benefits, career aspects and rewards. A positive association was reported between job satisfaction score and factor scores (units of communication (0.133, benefits (0.110, working condition (0.027 and co-workers (0.032 and a negative relation with organizational supervision system (0.118, workload (0.093, rewards (0.035, pay/salary (0.034 and career prospects (0.017 respectively for all categories of respondents. However in case of doctors, co-workers (0.023 units showed a negative relation. Conclusion: There is scope for interventions to enhance job satisfaction and concomitant continuous monitoring can be useful in determining various service aspects that necessitate improvement. By enhancing job satisfaction, hospital administrator can improve not only the mental, psychological and social well-being of work-force, but also the financial health of an organization.

A Continuous Improvement Capital Funding Model.

Science.gov (United States)

Adams, Matt

2001-01-01

Describes a capital funding model that helps assess facility renewal needs in a way that minimizes resources while maximizing results. The article explains the sub-components of a continuous improvement capital funding model, including budgeting processes for finish renewal, building performance renewal, and critical outcome. (GR)

What factors relate to job satisfaction among rheumatologists?

Science.gov (United States)

McNearney, Terry A; Hunnicutt, Sonya E; Maganti, Rashmi; Rice, Janida

2008-06-01

A severe shortage of practicing rheumatologists in the workforce is predicted over the next 2 decades. Identification of factors impacting job satisfaction will be needed to design interventional strategies for physician retention. To examine predictors of job satisfaction among rheumatologists. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among rheumatologists from the American College of Rheumatology directory with a portion of this designed to examine their job satisfaction. Questions regarding demographics, practice setting and job satisfaction, emotional exhaustion, and personal accomplishment based from the Maslach Burnout Inventory were included. Also included was a rank item to prioritize perceived changes that would improve job satisfaction. The response rate was 30% (N = 285) and 236 were analyzed. Data were primarily analyzed by the independent samples chi2 test. Physician demographics: mean age: 51 years, 76% were male, 27% were full time academicians, and 24% in solo practice. Significant differences (P satisfaction versus "very good" and "low" satisfaction groups includes increased age and solo practice, which were associated with "high" satisfaction. Lower job satisfaction rating correlated with items rating emotional exhaustion (r(s) = -0.43) and better satisfaction with personal accomplishment (r(s) = 0.41, P job satisfaction. Measures to improve job satisfaction may promote physician retention as a means of addressing the predicted workforce shortage.

Satisfaction and improvement of clinical experiment of student radiotechnologists

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lyu, Kwang Yeul; Kim, Hyun Soo

2006-01-01

Clinical experiment is a set of experience to help student acquire technic, attitude and knowledge by participating in the clinical work. The radiotechnologists who are employed in departments of radiology serve as clinical instructors. Their responsibilities include teaching students them to become competent radiotechnologist. Clinical instructors often have no formal preparation in teaching student. The purpose of this study is to review some principals that will help clinical instructors support and foster the professional development of student radiotechnologists. The clinical instructor should be able to identify the qualities of instructor, the characteristics of feedback and use facilitation skills when is evaluated student performance. And the survey was performed to evaluate the satisfaction of student participated in clinical experiment, the purpose of this research is to fine the problems and improvements in clinical experiment of student radiotechnologist in Korea

Satisfaction as a Determinant of Customer Loyalty Towards Mobile Communication

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Boban Melovic

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Modern business, characterized by growing user expectations and intense competitive relationships requires companies to survey customer satisfaction in a continuous manner. Customer satisfaction increases loyalty, fosters repurchase intention, enhances positive reaction and reduces the number of complaints. Customer satisfaction survey on regular basis is one of the prerequisites for creating adequate offer that meets customers’ expectations and ensures their long-term loyalty. Namely, loyalty as a long-term preference for the company’s products and services assumes customer who is willing and able to maintain interact with the brand offered by the company. Essentially, brand loyalty implies that the customer, based on the information and his beliefs, prefers the brand that is superior to the others. The main objective of this paper is to examine the level of customer satisfaction with specific aspects of services provided by mobile operators in the Montenegrin mobile communications market. Customer satisfaction with specific aspects of services available in the mobile communications market in Montenegro has been surveyed in 2013. This survey covered 788 respondents, and their levels of satisfaction have been examined using the survey method along with the statistical analysis of a number of variables. The first part of questionnaire consisted of questions aimed at collecting data on demographic characteristics of respondents, i.e. users of services of mobile operators, while the second part consisted of questions related to the basic research subject, i.e. the levels of customer satisfaction with the mobile communications services provided by mobile operators in Montenegro.The presented research method and recommendations provided in relation to the process of surveying customer satisfaction in terms of methodology may be important also for mobile operators operating beyond the Montenegrin market, enabling them to raise the quality of their

Running Head: Improving Pharmacy Customer Satisfaction

Science.gov (United States)

2006-06-29

move to a prospective payment system. As part of measuring appropriate resource utilization, customer or * - patient satisfaction has been introduced...the consumer . If a patient does not like the manner in how the care was delivered [regardless of the caliber of care, they may choose to take their...features of a health care plan to patients . The rising cost of healthcare and pharmaceuticals causes many to closely Fevaluate the plans they choose

Improving Consumer Satisfaction with Addiction Treatment: An Analysis of Alumni Preferences

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ruchi M. Sanghani

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Objective. The primary objective of this investigation is to determine which individual and aggregate factors of residential addiction treatment centers are most significant influencers of alumni satisfaction. Design. Survey targeted alumni of residential addiction treatment facilities. Alumni were queried through a survey, which utilized Likert-scale matrices and binary response options: 379 respondents met the completion threshold. Alumni rated amenities and individual and group counseling factors; additionally, respondents provided feedback on two satisfaction proxies: cost worthiness and future recommendations. Descriptive and relational analyses were conducted, with the latter utilizing logistic regression models. Results. Individual factors’ scores of group counseling, and overall aggregate group counseling score, are most enthusiastically positive. Group counseling is also the most significant influencer of satisfaction. Other significant influencers of satisfaction are met expectations for individual counseling and psychiatric care offerings. Conclusions. While individual counseling and facility amenities should not be ignored, group counseling may be the most significant influencer of alumni satisfaction. Long-term outcomes are not single-faceted; however, treatment providers should be encouraged to invest in high-quality group counseling offerings in order to best satisfy, and thereby empower, clients.

Improving Consumer Satisfaction with Addiction Treatment: An Analysis of Alumni Preferences.

Science.gov (United States)

Sanghani, Ruchi M; Moler, Alexander K

2015-01-01

Objective. The primary objective of this investigation is to determine which individual and aggregate factors of residential addiction treatment centers are most significant influencers of alumni satisfaction. Design. Survey targeted alumni of residential addiction treatment facilities. Alumni were queried through a survey, which utilized Likert-scale matrices and binary response options: 379 respondents met the completion threshold. Alumni rated amenities and individual and group counseling factors; additionally, respondents provided feedback on two satisfaction proxies: cost worthiness and future recommendations. Descriptive and relational analyses were conducted, with the latter utilizing logistic regression models. Results. Individual factors' scores of group counseling, and overall aggregate group counseling score, are most enthusiastically positive. Group counseling is also the most significant influencer of satisfaction. Other significant influencers of satisfaction are met expectations for individual counseling and psychiatric care offerings. Conclusions. While individual counseling and facility amenities should not be ignored, group counseling may be the most significant influencer of alumni satisfaction. Long-term outcomes are not single-faceted; however, treatment providers should be encouraged to invest in high-quality group counseling offerings in order to best satisfy, and thereby empower, clients.

Measuring satisfaction with public services

OpenAIRE

Senior, Nicki

2011-01-01

This study used the 'delivery paradox' (Blaug et al. 2006, p.6) as a catalyst to examine customer satisfaction with the public services. The 'delivery paradox' exists where the rise in the level of delivery improvements does not elicit a corresponding rise in public satisfaction with services (ibid). Expectancy Disconfirmation Theory underpins the measurement of customer satisfaction. However, a review of the literature by MORl (2002) concluded that whilst expectations are known to be shaped ...

[Effect of using an instrument for continuous evaluation of nursing quality in terms of employment satisfaction and of their affective implications].

Science.gov (United States)

Maes, Blandine; Fontanaud, Nelly; Pronost, Anne-Marie

2010-09-01

Medical staff are directly concerned by improving the quality of care. The goal of this study is to assess qualitatively the effects of the application of a Global Assessment Instrument for the Quality of Care on thirty nurses divided in two groups: an experimental group--who participated in the IGE-QSI--and another "witness" group--who participated in another project. The theory developed with the research involves the affective implication and satisfaction at work. Affective implication is the emotional attachment of the employee vis-a-vis the hospital. Satisfaction at work is a positive answer of the worker to their professional environment. The results of the research show that satisfaction in the workplace could be the result of professional experience and maturity. Hence, there could be a link between personal values and attitude that could encourage the implication of the staff in management. Responsibilities, recognition and the feeling of belonging to a group are part of the positive incentives and help develop management objectives.

The continuous improvement process and ergonomics in ultrasound department.

Science.gov (United States)

Coffin, Carolyn T

2013-01-01

Continuous improvement processes, such as Lean, Six Sigma and Quality Control Circles, have been implemented in the manufacturing industries in an effort to increase productivity, eliminate waste, and engage employees in problem solving. These processes can be adapted to the healthcare sector as medical facilities strive to improve the patient experience, increase financial returns, and improve worker safety and morale. In the ultrasound department, productivity can be improved and the quality of patient care can be ensured by standardizing exam protocols and decreasing work related musculoskeletal disorders among sonography professionals. This article summarizes the more commonly used continuous improvement processes and provides a description of how one method might be applied to the ultrasound department.

Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Network (EREN) customer satisfaction survey, 1997. Final report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Anderson, A.V. [Information International Associates, Inc., Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Henderson, D.P. [USDOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

1997-07-01

the EREN Customer Satisfaction Survey 1997 was designed to follow up the results of the 1995-96 Surveys, enabling comparison to the 1995- 96 baseline, and to provide additional qualitative feedback about EREN. Both the 1995-96 and 1997 Surveys had these objectives: Identify and define actual EREN users; Determine the value or benefits derived from the use of EREN; Determine the kind and quality of services that users want; Determine the users` levels of satisfaction with existing services; Determine users` preferences in both the sources of service and means of delivery; and Establish continuous quality improvement measures. This report presents the methodology used, scope and limitations of the study, description of the survey instrument, and findings regarding demographics, technical capabilities, usage patterns, general use, importance of and satisfaction with resources, and additional information and comments.

Can Schools Meet the Promise of Continuous Improvement?

Science.gov (United States)

Elgart, Mark A.

2018-01-01

Continuous improvement is "an embedded behavior within the culture of a school that constantly focuses on the conditions, processes, and practices that will improve teaching and learning." The phrase has been part of the lexicon of school improvement for decades, but real progress is rare. Based on its observations of about 5,000…

Room service improves patient food intake and satisfaction with hospital food.

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, R; Virtue, K; Adkins, A

1998-07-01

Cancer therapy causes side effects that interfere with oral intake. Frequently, patients undergoing such therapy suffer from anorexia, nausea, vomiting, food aversions, dysgeusia, and xerostomia, all which adversely affect oral intake. Adequate nutrition intake is an important part of therapy for the cancer patient, especially when that patient is a child. Children who are well nourished are better able to withstand infection and tolerate therapy. Parents and staff at our hospital have worked diligently to improve patient's oral intake with limited success. Hence, a multidisciplinary team was organized to develop a new approach to food services that would improve patients' oral intake. The team initiated patient "room service," and patients were allowed to call the kitchen when they were ready to eat. The system works much like room service in a hotel. After the introduction of room service, patients' caloric intake improved significantly (P = .008), and protein intake increased by 18%. Patient satisfaction with hospital food service also improved; excellent ratings increased by as much as 35%. We conclude that room service is a viable alternative to traditional food services in the pediatric oncology setting and may be useful in other patient populations, such as maternity and general pediatrics.

[Hospital biomedical research through the satisfaction of a Health Research Institute professionals].

Science.gov (United States)

Olmedo, C; Plá, R; Bellón, J M; Bardinet, T; Buño, I; Bañares, R

2015-01-01

A Health Research Institute is a powerful strategic commitment to promote biomedical research in hospitals. To assess user satisfaction is an essential quality requirement. The aim of this study is to evaluate the professional satisfaction in a Health Research Institute, a hospital biomedical research centre par excellence. Observational study was conducted using a satisfaction questionnaire on Health Research Institute researchers. The explored dimensions were derived from the services offered by the Institute to researchers, and are structured around 4 axes of a five-year Strategic Plan. A descriptive and analytical study was performed depending on adjustment variables. Internal consistency was also calculated. The questionnaire was completed by 108 researchers (15% response). The most valued strategic aspect was the structuring Areas and Research Groups and political communication and dissemination. The overall rating was 7.25 out of 10. Suggestions for improvement refer to the need for help in recruitment, and research infrastructures. High internal consistency was found in the questionnaire (Cronbach alpha of 0.9). So far research policies in health and biomedical environment have not been sufficiently evaluated by professionals in our field. Systematic evaluations of satisfaction and expectations of key stakeholders is an essential tool for analysis, participation in continuous improvement and advancing excellence in health research. Copyright © 2015 SECA. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of Patient and Medical Staff Satisfaction regarding Healthcare Services in Wuhan Public Hospitals.

Science.gov (United States)

Meng, Runtang; Li, Jingjing; Zhang, Yunquan; Yu, Yong; Luo, Yi; Liu, Xiaohan; Zhao, Yanxia; Hao, Yuantao; Hu, Ying; Yu, Chuanhua

2018-04-17

Satisfaction evaluation is widely used in healthcare systems to improve healthcare service quality to obtain better health outcomes. The aim of this study was to measure employee work satisfaction and patient satisfaction status in Wuhan, China. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 14 medical institutions. The final valid sample comprised a total of 696 medical staff and 668 patients. The overall satisfaction levels of medical staff and patients were 58.28 ± 14.60 (10.47–100.00) and 65.82 ± 14.66 (8.62–100.00), respectively. The factors affecting medical staff satisfaction, ranking in sequence from most to least satisfied, were: the work itself, working environment and atmosphere, hospital management, practicing environment, and job rewards. Patient satisfaction factors, from most to least affecting, were ranked as follows: physician-patient relationship and communication, service organization and facilities, continuity and collaboration of medical care, access to relevant information and support, and healthcare and related services, respectively. The overall satisfaction evaluation of medical staff was average. Healthcare policy makers and medical institution management staff should focus on job rewards and working environment. This would allow them to increase their work happiness and sense of belonging, which in turn would allow them to provide better medical services to patients. The overall patient evaluation was satisfactory, with patients satisfied at all levels of the satisfaction evaluation.

Evaluation of Patient and Medical Staff Satisfaction regarding Healthcare Services in Wuhan Public Hospitals

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Jingjing; Yu, Yong; Liu, Xiaohan; Zhao, Yanxia; Hao, Yuantao; Hu, Ying

2018-01-01

Satisfaction evaluation is widely used in healthcare systems to improve healthcare service quality to obtain better health outcomes. The aim of this study was to measure employee work satisfaction and patient satisfaction status in Wuhan, China. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 14 medical institutions. The final valid sample comprised a total of 696 medical staff and 668 patients. The overall satisfaction levels of medical staff and patients were 58.28 ± 14.60 (10.47–100.00) and 65.82 ± 14.66 (8.62–100.00), respectively. The factors affecting medical staff satisfaction, ranking in sequence from most to least satisfied, were: the work itself, working environment and atmosphere, hospital management, practicing environment, and job rewards. Patient satisfaction factors, from most to least affecting, were ranked as follows: physician-patient relationship and communication, service organization and facilities, continuity and collaboration of medical care, access to relevant information and support, and healthcare and related services, respectively. The overall satisfaction evaluation of medical staff was average. Healthcare policy makers and medical institution management staff should focus on job rewards and working environment. This would allow them to increase their work happiness and sense of belonging, which in turn would allow them to provide better medical services to patients. The overall patient evaluation was satisfactory, with patients satisfied at all levels of the satisfaction evaluation. PMID:29673134

The program of continuous improvements in factory in Juzbado

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prieto, M.

2015-01-01

This articles describes the historical development of the continuous improvement program at Juzbado Factory, since its beginning to nowadays. The evolution throughout the ideas of Total Quality, ISO, EFQM, Six Sigma, and so on, leading to the present situation in which all these tools and methodologies live together is shown. all this has led to a philosophy and business culture focused on safety, quality and continuous improvement. (Author)

Satisfaction in nursing in the context of shortage.

Science.gov (United States)

Morgan, Jennifer Craft; Lynn, Mary R

2009-04-01

This paper describes the central themes nurses identify as important to their overall evaluation of their work. In particular, this paper highlights how the context of the nursing shortage interacts with what nurses understand to be satisfying about their work. On the brink of a current and enduring nursing shortage in the US, this study provides Nurse Managers with an understanding of the dimensions of work satisfaction which they can then utilize to improve retention of incumbent nurses. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 currently employed nurses to explore the concepts that shape their work satisfaction. The nurses, 25 to 55 years old, were predominantly female and Associate Degree or Baccalaureate prepared. Nurses have both intrinsic and extrinsic satisfiers in their work. The traditional satisfiers (pay and benefits) are not the principle satisfiers of today's nurses. In the context of shortage, the aspects of nursing that are the most rewarding are the aspects that are most often sacrificed in the interest of 'getting the job done'. Nurses are finding it difficult to continue to do 'more with less' and are frustrated they are not able to provide the care they were educated to be able to deliver. The description of the dimensions of work satisfaction can provide insight for Nurse Managers and administrators who are interested in improving both recruitment and retention of nurses. Areas identified worthy of focus in retention efforts include: increasing autonomy; reallocating work in a more patient-centred way; creating systems to recognize achievement in the areas of mentoring nurses, educating patients and personal growth in practice; creating meaningful internal labour markets; and enhancing supervisor and administrative support. Managers and administrators should focus on the satisfiers nurses identify if they wish to retain nurses. The traditional focus on extrinsic rewards will not likely be sufficient to retain today's nurses. Retention

Use of a Dog Visitation Program to Improve Patient Satisfaction in Trauma Patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Stevens, Penelope; Kepros, John P; Mosher, Benjamin D

Clinical staff members all recognize the importance of attaining high patient satisfaction scores. Although there are many variables that contribute to patient satisfaction, implementation of a dog visitation program has been shown to have positive effects on patient satisfaction in total joint replacement patients. This innovative practice had not previously been studied in trauma patients. The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to determine whether dog visitation to trauma inpatients increased patient satisfaction scores with the trauma physicians. A team consisting of a dog and handler visited 150 inpatients on the trauma service. Patient satisfaction was measured using a preexisting internal tool for patients who had received dog visitation and compared with other trauma patients who had not received a visit. This study demonstrated that patient satisfaction on four of the five measured scores was more positive for the patients who had received a dog visit.

Analysis of Patient's Satisfaction with Phlebotomy Services in NABH Accredited Neuropsychiatric Hospital: An Effective Tool for Improvement.

Science.gov (United States)

Gupta, Anshu; Dwivedi, Tanima; Sadhana; Chaudhary, Raju

2017-09-01

Patient's satisfaction is the need of the hour and one of the most important quality indicators in the laboratory medicine. To assess the patient's satisfaction with phlebotomy services in a neuropsychiatric hospital by a structured questionnaire with grading scale. Also, identify the problems causing dissatisfactions and to undertake necessary Corrective and Preventative Action (CAPA). Total 1200 patients were randomly selected over a period of two months (June and July 2016). A structured self designed questionnaire (feedback form) was devised in both Hindi and English languages containing ten questions with a grading scale for each question. It also included suggestions from the users. All the selected patients or their attendants filled up this questionnaire. At the same time, they were also interviewed by phlebotomy staff. A statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS version 16.0 software and Likert scale. A total of 94% of the patients were satisfied with the phlebotomy services. Almost 30.0% patients found the phlebotomy services to be very good, but the majority of them (40.5%) found it to be good and another 23.5% found it to be satisfactory while, 4% found the services to be poor and 2% found it to be very poor. The highest rate of satisfaction (4.21) was noted in case of parameter-ease to find collection sample room and lowest rate of satisfaction (3.92) was scored by the parameter-staff's wearing proper uniform. Depending upon the deficient areas some corrective actions were suggested such as strict compliance of personal protective equipments, regular training to improve technical skill, knowledge and behaviour with emphasis on cleanliness of work area. Even though the overall patient's satisfaction was high, there were areas which needed our attention such as waiting time for phlebotomy procedure, lack of proper sitting arrangement, techniques of sample collection, knowledge of universal precautions etc. Appropriate corrective and preventive

Improving Reference Service: The Case for Using a Continuous Quality Improvement Method.

Science.gov (United States)

Aluri, Rao

1993-01-01

Discusses the evaluation of library reference service; examines problems with past evaluations, including the lack of long-term planning and a systems perspective; and suggests a method for continuously monitoring and improving reference service using quality improvement tools such as checklists, cause and effect diagrams, Pareto charts, and…

THE EFFECTS OF ROOM SERVICE TO IMPROVE PATIENTS’ FOOD SATISFACTION AND FOOD ACCEPTANCE

OpenAIRE

Muhammad Iqbal; Susetyowati Susetyowati; Martalena Br Purba

2017-01-01

The improvement of patients’ food satisfaction and acceptance in the hospitals is primarily needed in the food service  system.  Room service is a new concept in the food service area. This study aims to compare the effects of two different types of food service systems; room service and conventional service system. The study with quasi-experimental design is conducted to the subject of 66 inpatients who were taken using a quota sampling method. Subjects were divided into different groups, th...

Agile kaizen managing continuous improvement far beyond retrospectives

CERN Document Server

Medinilla, Ángel

2014-01-01

Agile teams have been struggling with the concept of continuous improvement since the first Agile frameworks were developed, and still very little has been written about the practice of continuous improvement in Agile environments. Although team retrospectives have been prescribed and some practices have been introduced in order to implement and facilitate them, the truth is that most Agile teams are conducting dull retrospectives that end with a list of things that have been done wrong, just to repeat the same list two weeks later at the next meeting.Instead of listing hundreds of Japanese-la

Continuous improvement comparison between Danish and Mexican companies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christiansen, Thomas Bøhm

2004-01-01

This article investigates continuous improvement tools that are used in two countries on two continents. For that purpose two surveys were conducted in the metropolitan area of Mexico City and in Denmark using the same scales and having about the same sample size. The continuous improvement tools...... comprise such concepts as TQM, Kaizen, Six Sigma and Lean Manufacturing. The paper shows the results of the analysis and a comparison of how and to what degree such tools are used in different places, which allow us to address similarities and dissimilarities of the application. The results are discussed...

Customer satisfaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Vukmir, Rade B

2006-01-01

This paper seeks to present an analysis of the literature examining objective information concerning the subject of customer service, as it applies to the current medical practice. Hopefully, this information will be synthesized to generate a cogent approach to correlate customer service with quality. Articles were obtained by an English language search of MEDLINE from January 1976 to July 2005. This computerized search was supplemented with literature from the author's personal collection of peer-reviewed articles on customer service in a medical setting. This information was presented in a qualitative fashion. There is a significant lack of objective data correlating customer service objectives, patient satisfaction and quality of care. Patients present predominantly for the convenience of emergency department care. Specifics of satisfaction are directed to the timing, and amount of "caring". Demographic correlates including symptom presentation, practice style, location and physician issues directly impact on satisfaction. It is most helpful to develop a productive plan for the "difficult patient", emphasizing communication and empathy. Profiling of the customer satisfaction experience is best accomplished by examining the specifics of satisfaction, nature of the ED patient, demographic profile, symptom presentation and physician interventions emphasizing communication--especially with the difficult patient. The current emergency medicine customer service dilemmas are a complex interaction of both patient and physician factors specifically targeting both efficiency and patient satisfaction. Awareness of these issues particular to the emergency patient can help to maximize efficiency, minimize subsequent medicolegal risk and improve patient care if a tailored management plan is formulated.

Job satisfaction, work ability and life satisfaction among Finnish anaesthesiologists.

Science.gov (United States)

Lindfors, P M; Meretoja, O A; Töyry, S M; Luukkonen, R A; Elovainio, M J; Leino, T J

2007-08-01

Organizational changes and relative growth of the ageing population together with related health problems seem to have increased stressfulness in the work of anaesthesiologists. However, little is known about their work-related well-being and the factors through which their situation could be improved. A cross-sectional questionnaire study of the level and the determinants of job satisfaction, work ability and life satisfaction among female and male anaesthesiologists involved 258 Finnish anaesthesiologists working full time (53% men). The respondents had fairly high job satisfaction, work ability and life satisfaction. No gender differences appeared in these well-being indicators, but their determinants differed by gender. Job satisfaction was only associated with work-related factors in both genders: with job control in women and with job control and organizational justice in men. Work ability correlated with job control and health in both genders and with family life in women. Life satisfaction correlated with individual- and family related factors such as social support and family problems in both genders. Life satisfaction correlated with physical workload in men and health in women. Women had less job control, fewer permanent job contracts and more domestic workload than men. Job control and organizational justice were the most important determinants in work-related well-being. Work-related factors were slightly more important correlates of well-being in males, and family life seems to play a larger role in the well-being of female anaesthesiologists. Organizational and gender issues need to be addressed in order to maintain a high level of well-being among anaesthesiologists.

Protocol for a randomised crossover trial to evaluate patient and nurse satisfaction with electronic and elastomeric portable infusion pumps for the continuous administration of antibiotic therapy in the home: the Comparing Home Infusion Devices (CHID) study.

Science.gov (United States)

Hobbs, Jodie G; Ryan, Melissa K; Ritchie, Brett; Sluggett, Janet K; Sluggett, Andrew J; Ralton, Lucy; Reynolds, Karen J

2017-07-31

Previous studies comparing satisfaction with electronic and elastomeric infusion pumps are limited, and improvements in size and usability of electronic pumps have since occurred. The Comparing Home Infusion Devices (CHID) study plans to assess patient and nurse satisfaction with an elastomeric and electronic pump for delivering intravenous antibiotic treatment in the home. Secondary objectives are to determine pump-related complications and actual antibiotic dose administered, evaluate temperature variation and compare pump operating costs. The CHID study will be a randomised, crossover trial. A trained research nurse will recruit patients with infectious disease aged ≥18 years and prescribed ≥8 days of continuous intravenous antibiotic therapy from the Royal Adelaide Hospital (RAH) (Adelaide, Australia). Patients will be randomised to receive treatment at home via an elastomeric (Baxter Infusor) or an electronic (ambIT Continuous) infusion pump for 4-7 days, followed by the other for a further 4-7 days. Patient satisfaction will be assessed by a 10-item survey to be completed at the end of each arm. Nurse satisfaction will be assessed by a single 24-item survey. Patient logbooks and case notes from clinic visits will be screened to identify complications. Pumps/infusion bags will be weighed to estimate the volume of solution delivered. Temperature sensors will record skin and ambient temperatures during storage and use of the pumps throughout the infusion period. Costs relating to pumps, consumables, antibiotics and servicing will be determined. Descriptive statistics will summarise study data. This study has been approved by the RAH Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC/16/RAH/133 R20160420, version 6.0, 5 September 2016). Study results will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations. The CHID study will provide key insights into patient and provider satisfaction with elastomeric and electronic infusion pumps and inform

The course of the professional development and the level of job satisfaction among physiotherapists

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Agata A. Jaros

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Introduction: The occupation of a physiotherapist, due to its nature, is very challenging. It requires continuous work on oneself and the improvement of professional skills. Aim of the research : To assess the level of competence, professional development, and job satisfaction among a group of active physiotherapists. Material and methods : The study involved a group of 62 physiotherapists, among whom a questionnaire was conducted. The survey contained questions concerning demographic data of the respondents, general working conditions, and satisfaction with their profession. The calculations and graphs presented in the descriptive statistics, as well as the statistical hypotheses, were all performed in MS Excel’s spread sheet and T-Czuprow’s similarity rate. Results: The results show the high activity concerning participation in specialised courses in physiotherapy methods and the use of specialised literature. The level of job satisfaction is high, at about 70%, in all groups. The character of the work and positive relations with co-workers and supervisors were assessed highest and salary and promotion opportunities lowest from all the determinants of job satisfaction. Although the level of job satisfaction itself is acceptable, nearly 1/3 of respondents have no plans for further development and 40% do not plan to follow this profession in the future. Conclusions : After graduation they often willingly improve their professional qualifications. The level of job satisfaction itself is acceptable; however, the lack of plans for further development or willingness to follow this profession in the future can cause a significant decline in the number of professionally active physiotherapists.

Nurse managers' experiences in continuous quality improvement in resource-poor healthcare settings.

Science.gov (United States)

Kakyo, Tracy Alexis; Xiao, Lily Dongxia

2017-06-01

Ensuring safe and quality care for patients in hospitals is an important part of a nurse manager's role. Continuous quality improvement has been identified as one approach that leads to the delivery of quality care services to patients and is widely used by nurse managers to improve patient care. Nurse managers' experiences in initiating continuous quality improvement activities in resource-poor healthcare settings remain largely unknown. Research evidence is highly demanded in these settings to address disease burden and evidence-based practice. This interpretive qualitative study was conducted to gain an understanding of nurse managers' Continuous Quality Improvement experiences in rural hospitals in Uganda. Nurse managers in rural healthcare settings used their role to prioritize quality improvement activities, monitor the Continuous Quality Improvement process, and utilize in-service education to support continuous quality improvement. The nurse managers in our sample encountered a number of barriers during the implementation of Continuous Quality Improvement, including: limited patient participation, lack of materials, and limited human resources. Efforts to address the challenges faced through good governance and leadership development require more attention. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

Socio-economic position has no effect on improvement in health-related quality of life and patient satisfaction in total hip and knee replacement: a cohort study.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J Christiaan Keurentjes

Full Text Available INTRODUCTION: Considerable evidence suggests that patients with more advantaged Socio-Economic Positions undergo Total Hip and Knee Replacement (THR/TKR more often, despite having a lower need. We questioned whether more disadvantaged Socio-Economic Position is associated with an lower improvement in Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL and a lower patient satisfaction after THR/TKR. METHODS: Patients who underwent primary THR/TKR in one academic and three community hospitals between 2005 and 2009, were eligible for inclusion. The highest completed levels of schooling were aggregated to index social class. We compared the improvement in HRQoL and postoperative satisfaction with surgery (measured using the Short-Form 36 (SF36 and an 11-point numeric rating scale of satisfaction between the aggregated groups of highest completed levels of schooling, using linear mixed model analysis, with center as a random effect and potential confounders (i.e. age, gender, Body Mass Index and Charnley's comorbidity classification as fixed effects. RESULTS: 586 THR patients and 400 TKR patients (40% of all eligible patients agreed to participate and completed all questionnaires sufficiently. We found no differences in HRQoL improvement in any dimension of the SF36 in THR patients. Patients with a higher completed level of schooling had a larger improvement in role-physical (9.38 points, 95%-CI:0.34-18.4, a larger improvement in general health (3.67 points, 95%-CI:0.56-6.79 and a smaller improvement in mental health (3.60 points, 95%-CI:0.82-6.38 after TKR. Postoperative patient satisfaction did not differ between different highest completed level of schooling groups. DISCUSSION: Completed level of schooling has no effect on the improvement in HRQoL and patient satisfaction in a Dutch THR population and a small effect in a similar TKR population. Undertreatment of patients with more disadvantaged Socio-Economic Position cannot be justified, given the similar

Customer Satisfaction Among the Members of the Summit Point Golf and Country Club

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

VERONICA JOY V. BENCITO

2014-04-01

Full Text Available This study focused on the customer satisfaction among the members of the Summit Point Golf and Country Club which served as the basis for continuous improvement. It determined the level of customer satisfaction on the services offered by the Summit Point employees in terms of food and beverages, customer service and facilities. Lastly, it also tested the significant differences on the level of customer satisfactions when grouped according to their membership variables of the club. The descriptive type of research was used to assess the operation of the club. Data gathered were analyzed using the weighted mean and ANOVA method. The members of the Summit Point Golf and Country Club are generally satisfied in terms of facilities and amenities, food and beverages and customer service. The hypothesis has no significant difference between the membership profile and level of customer satisfaction in terms of facilities and amenities and customer service is rejected. This means that their responses differ as to their reasons of joining the club, their obtained degree and the frequency of playing in the club.

Sustaining motivation for continuous improvement

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jørgensen, Frances; Kofoed, Lise Busk

2007-01-01

The objective of this article is to explore possibilities for improving motivation for participation in Continuous Improvement (CI). Due to a number of issues, for example, challenges with measuring outcomes of CI activities on performance, the inherent slower, incremental rather than big bang...... activities is an important issue for managers. The paper begins with a short description of CI, with an emphasis on barriers to successful implementation cited in the literature. Thereafter, a number of widely-acknowledged-albeit perhaps somewhat dated-theories of motivation are explored in relation...... to the elements of CI in practice. Based on their own experiences with CI implementation in numerous action-research based studies, the authors propose a scenario for motivating CI participation through emphasis on factors common to the presented motivational theories. The paper ends with insights into future...

Demographic Predictors of Job Satisfaction among Nurses

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Masoumeh Hasanlo

2017-06-01

Conclusion: Regarding the relationship between care quality and job satisfaction of nurses, annual evaluation of job satisfaction and its related factors is recommended to increase the satisfaction and survival of human resources , improve the management style of the organization, and standardize the rights and benefits, especially for people with long work experience in this occupation.

AEL Continuous School Improvement Questionnaire. User Manual and Technical Report.

Science.gov (United States)

Meehan, Merrill L.; Cowley, Kimberly S.; Craig, James R.; Balow, Nancy; Childers, Robert D.

The Continuous School Improvement Questionnaire (CSIQ) developed by the AEL helps a school staff gauge its performance on six dimensions related to continuous school improvement. Each member of the staff responds to the CSIQ individually. Although results might be used at the district or regional level, the most widely intended unit for applying…

Continuous Improvement in Schools and Districts: Policy Considerations

Science.gov (United States)

Best, Jane; Dunlap, Allison

2014-01-01

Discussions about improving public education often focus on outcomes without considering how schools and districts can accomplish those outcomes. Research shows that using a continuous improvement process has proven successful in healthcare, manufacturing, and technology, and may hold potential for use in education as well. This brief defines and…

Structured nursing communication on interdisciplinary acute care teams improves perceptions of safety, efficiency, understanding of care plan and teamwork as well as job satisfaction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gausvik C

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Christian Gausvik,1 Ashley Lautar,2 Lisa Miller,2 Harini Pallerla,3 Jeffrey Schlaudecker4,5 1University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, 2The Christ Hospital, Cincinnati, OH, USA; 3Department of Family and Community Medicine, 4Division of Geriatric Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA; 5Geriatric Medicine Fellowship Program, University of Cincinnati/The Christ Hospital, Cincinnati, OH, USA Abstract: Efficient, accurate, and timely communication is required for quality health care and is strongly linked to health care staff job satisfaction. Developing ways to improve communication is key to increasing quality of care, and interdisciplinary care teams allow for improved communication among health care professionals. This study examines the patient- and family-centered use of structured interdisciplinary bedside rounds (SIBR on an acute care for the elderly (ACE unit in a 555-bed metropolitan community hospital. This mixed methods study surveyed 24 nurses, therapists, patient care assistants, and social workers to measure perceptions of teamwork, communication, understanding of the plan for the day, safety, efficiency, and job satisfaction. A similar survey was administered to a control group of 38 of the same staff categories on different units in the same hospital. The control group units utilized traditional physician-centric rounding. Significant differences were found in each category between the SIBR staff on the ACE unit and the control staff. Nurse job satisfaction is an important marker of retention and recruitment, and improved communication may be an important aspect of increasing this satisfaction. Furthermore, improved communication is key to maintaining a safe hospital environment with quality patient care. Interdisciplinary team rounds that take place at the bedside improve both nursing satisfaction and related communication markers of quality and safety, and may help to achieve higher nurse retention and safer

IMHEX fuel cell repeat component manufacturing continuous improvement accomplishments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jakaitis, L.A.; Petraglia, V.J.; Bryson, E.S. [M-C Power Corp., Burr Ridge, IL (United States)] [and others

1996-12-31

M-C Power is taking a power generation technology that has been proven in the laboratory and is making it a commercially competitive product. There are many areas in which this technology required scale up and refinement to reach the market entry goals for the IMHEX{reg_sign} molten carbonate fuel cell power plant. One of the primary areas that needed to be addressed was the manufacturing of the fuel cell stack. Up to this point, the fuel cell stack and associated components were virtually hand made for each system to be tested. M-C Power has now continuously manufactured the repeat components for three 250 kW stacks. M-C Power`s manufacturing strategy integrated both evolutionary and revolutionary improvements into its comprehensive commercialization effort. M-C Power`s objectives were to analyze and continuously improve stack component manufacturing and assembly techniques consistent with established specifications and commercial scale production requirements. Evolutionary improvements are those which naturally occur as the production rates are increased and experience is gained. Examples of evolutionary (learning curve) improvements included reducing scrap rates and decreasing raw material costs by buying in large quantities. Revolutionary improvements result in significant design and process changes to meet cost and performance requirements of the market entry system. Revolutionary changes often involve identifying new methods and developing designs to accommodate the new process. Based upon our accomplishments, M-C Power was able to reduce the cost of continuously manufactured fuel cell repeat components from the first to third 250 kW stack by 63%. This paper documents the continuous improvement accomplishments realized by M-C Power during IMHEX{reg_sign} fuel cell repeat component manufacturing.

Measuring Teacher Job Satisfaction: Assessing Invariance in the Teacher Job Satisfaction Scale (TJSS) Across Six Countries

Science.gov (United States)

Pepe, Alessandro; Addimando, Loredana; Veronese, Guido

2017-01-01

Work and organizational psychology has long been concerned with measuring job satisfaction in organizational contexts, and this has carried across to the field of education, leading to a research focus on the work-related satisfaction of teachers. Today, a myriad of organizations continue to assess employees’ job satisfaction on a routine basis (Liu, Borg, & Spector, 2004). Unfortunately, a sort of balkanization of the field has resulted in the production of dozens of specific measurement tools, making it difficult to cross-compare samples and contexts. The present paper tested the measurement invariance of the Teacher Job Satisfaction Scale (TJSS) in six international cohorts (Netherlands, United States, Russia China, Italy and Palestine) of in-service teachers (N = 2,819). Confirmatory factor analysis and multi-group invariance tests were applied. The TJSS-9 displayed robust psychometric proprieties and no substantial departures from measurement invariance (configural and metric). Future research is required to further test equivalence across additional countries, with view to developing a truly international tool for measuring job satisfaction in teaching. PMID:28904592

Measuring Teacher Job Satisfaction: Assessing Invariance in the Teacher Job Satisfaction Scale (TJSS) Across Six Countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Pepe, Alessandro; Addimando, Loredana; Veronese, Guido

2017-08-01

Work and organizational psychology has long been concerned with measuring job satisfaction in organizational contexts, and this has carried across to the field of education, leading to a research focus on the work-related satisfaction of teachers. Today, a myriad of organizations continue to assess employees' job satisfaction on a routine basis (Liu, Borg, & Spector, 2004). Unfortunately, a sort of balkanization of the field has resulted in the production of dozens of specific measurement tools, making it difficult to cross-compare samples and contexts. The present paper tested the measurement invariance of the Teacher Job Satisfaction Scale (TJSS) in six international cohorts (Netherlands, United States, Russia China, Italy and Palestine) of in-service teachers (N = 2,819). Confirmatory factor analysis and multi-group invariance tests were applied. The TJSS-9 displayed robust psychometric proprieties and no substantial departures from measurement invariance (configural and metric). Future research is required to further test equivalence across additional countries, with view to developing a truly international tool for measuring job satisfaction in teaching.

Measuring Teacher Job Satisfaction: Assessing Invariance in the Teacher Job Satisfaction Scale (TJSS Across Six Countries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alessandro Pepe

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Work and organizational psychology has long been concerned with measuring job satisfaction in organizational contexts, and this has carried across to the field of education, leading to a research focus on the work-related satisfaction of teachers. Today, a myriad of organizations continue to assess employees’ job satisfaction on a routine basis (Liu, Borg, & Spector, 2004. Unfortunately, a sort of balkanization of the field has resulted in the production of dozens of specific measurement tools, making it difficult to cross-compare samples and contexts. The present paper tested the measurement invariance of the Teacher Job Satisfaction Scale (TJSS in six international cohorts (Netherlands, United States, Russia China, Italy and Palestine of in-service teachers (N = 2,819. Confirmatory factor analysis and multi-group invariance tests were applied. The TJSS-9 displayed robust psychometric proprieties and no substantial departures from measurement invariance (configural and metric. Future research is required to further test equivalence across additional countries, with view to developing a truly international tool for measuring job satisfaction in teaching.

Sexual satisfaction following bariatric surgery: A prospective exploratory study.

Science.gov (United States)

Ferrer-Márquez, Manuel; Pomares-Callejón, María Ángeles; Fernández-Agis, Inmaculada; Belda-Lozano, Ricardo; Vidaña-Márquez, Elisabet; Soriano-Maldonado, Alberto

2017-11-01

Bariatric surgery improves sexual function in obese individuals, although the extent to which sexual satisfaction is improved following surgery is unknown. The aims of this study were 1) to describe sexual satisfaction in severely/morbidly obese men and women candidates for bariatric surgery; 2) to assess the effects of bariatric surgery on sexual satisfaction at 12-months follow-up; and 3) to assess whether weight changes at follow-up following bariatric surgery are associated with changes in sexual satisfaction. We conducted a prospective observational study from February 2011 to June 2014. A total of 44 patients with severe/morbid obesity participated in the study. Sexual satisfaction was assessed (at baseline and 12-months follow-up) through the Index of Sexual Satisfaction (ISS) questionnaire. Of 44 patients who completed the ISS at baseline (mean age 40.3 [SD=9.4] years and BMI 46.9 [SD=6.2] kg/m 2 ), 17 were lost to follow-up. The baseline ISS total scores were 32.0 (SD=20.1) in women and 24.4 (SD=16.0) in men (P>0.05). The proportion of sexually satisfied men and women at baseline was 62.5% and 46.4%, respectively (P=0.360). At follow-up, sexual satisfaction improved significantly in women (average difference 13.7 units; P=0.032) but not in men (average difference 3.6 units; P=0.717). The percentage of women with sexual satisfaction problems was reduced by 33% at follow-up (P=0.038). A relatively large percentage of severely/morbidly obese women and men present clinically significant sexual satisfaction problems before undergoing bariatric surgery. Sexual satisfaction improves significantly 12 months following bariatric surgery, particularly in women. Copyright © 2017 AEC. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Improving job satisfaction and enlarging the role of technicians.

Science.gov (United States)

Spooner, S H; Britton, M E; Erskine, L M; Verschoor, B A; Williams, P A

1991-01-01

The process used in preparing this administrative report provided the means of documenting departmental support of technician task expansion, cost benefits, increased availability of professional time, and the need for a dynamic department. Some of the benefits to St. Luke's Regional Medical Center and its Pharmacy Department were an increase in technician job satisfaction, improved quality of patient care attributable to the increased scope of pharmacy service, and up to 8554 hours per year of professional time available for more clinically oriented responsibilities. If technician turnover were decreased by half, technician pricing errors eliminated, and technicians assumed the identified technical tasks, potential monetary benefits could be as much as +116,900 per year. The departmental cost of implementing these recommendations would be an additional 4.16 technician FTEs, and the professional time for training, supervising, and coordinating technicians and functions. These recommendations were well received by pharmacy administration, and the committee was asked to develop a list of priorities and an implementation plan for administrative approval.

Continuous Improvement in Action: Educators' Evidence Use for School Improvement

Science.gov (United States)

Cannata, Marisa; Redding, Christopher; Rubin, Mollie

2016-01-01

The focus of the article is the process educators use to interpret data to turn it into usable knowledge (Honig & Coburn, 2008) while engaging in a continuous improvement process. The authors examine the types of evidence educators draw upon, its perceived relevance, and the social context in which the evidence is examined. Evidence includes…

Factors influencing patient satisfaction with dental appearance and treatments they desire to improve aesthetics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hassan Nurhidayati

2011-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background We assessed factors influencing patients' satisfaction with their dental appearance and the treatments they desired to improve dental aesthetics. Methods A cross-sectional study was performed out among 235 adult patients who visited the Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia dental clinic. A structured, interviewer-guided questionnaire was used to identify patient satisfaction with their general dental appearance, cosmetic elements and desired treatments. Results The 235 patients consisted of 70 males (29.8% and 165 females (70.2%, of mean age 31.5 years (SD 13.0. Of these patients, 124 (52.8% were not satisfied with their general dental appearance. In addition, 132 patients (56.2% were not happy with the color of their teeth, 76 (32.3%, regarded their teeth were poorly aligned, 62 (26.4%, as crowded and 56 (23.4% protruded. Dissatisfaction with tooth color was significantly higher in female than in male patients (odds ratio [OR] of 1.99 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.13-3.50. Tooth whitening was the treatment most desired by patients (48.1%. Results of multiple logistic regression analysis showed that patient dissatisfaction with general dental appearance was significantly associated with female gender (OR = 2.18; 95% CI: 1.18-4.03, unhappiness with tooth color (OR = 3.05; 95% CI: 1.74-5.34 and the opinion that their teeth protruded (OR = 2.91, 95% CI: 1.44-5.91. Conclusions Most patients in this study were not satisfied with their dental appearance with a greater percentage of females expressing dissatisfaction than males. An age was not associated with satisfaction. Unhappiness with tooth color and feelings of having protruding teeth also had a significant negative influence on patient satisfaction with general dental appearance.

Actor and Partner Effects of Attachment on Relationship Satisfaction and Sexual Satisfaction Across the Genders : An APIM Approach

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Conradi, Henk Jan; Noordhof, Arjen; Dingemanse, Pieter; Barelds, Dick P.H.; Kamphuis, Jan H.

2017-01-01

Previous studies found gender differences in relationship satisfaction and sexuality. We tested gender differences in associations between attachment, a lasting relationship determinant, and two outcomes, relationship and sexual satisfaction. This study improves on earlier research by examining

A model for continuous improvement at a South African minerals benefication plant

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ras, Eugene Ras

2015-05-01

Full Text Available South Africa has a variety of mineral resources, and several minerals beneficiation plants are currently in operation. These plants must be operated effectively to ensure that the end-users of its products remain internationally competitive. To achieve this objective, plants need a sustainable continuous improvement programme. Several frameworks for continuous improvement are used, with variable success rates, in beneficiation plants around the world. However, none of these models specifically addresses continuous improvement from a minerals-processing point of view. The objective of this research study was to determine which factors are important for a continuous improvement model at a minerals beneficiation plant, and to propose a new model using lean manufacturing, six sigma, and the theory of constraints. A survey indicated that managers in the industry prefer a model that combines various continuous improvement models.

Job satisfaction among public health nurses: a national survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Curtis, Elizabeth A; Glacken, Michele

2014-07-01

Despite increasing interest in nurses' job satisfaction relatively few studies have investigated job satisfaction among public health nurses. To establish current level of job satisfaction among public health nurses and identify the main contributing variables/factors to job satisfaction among this population. Quantitative descriptive design. A simple random sample of 1000 public health nurses was conducted yielding a response rate of 35.1% (n = 351). Data was collected using the Index of Work Satisfaction Questionnaire. Descriptive and inferential statistics were deployed. Low levels of job satisfaction among public health nurses emerged. Professional status, interaction and autonomy contributed most to job satisfaction while pay and task-related activities contributed least. Age and tenure were the only biographic factors that correlated significantly with job satisfaction. Public health nurse managers/leaders need to find creative ways of improving the factors that contribute to job satisfaction and address robustly those factors that result in low job satisfaction. The critical issue for public health nurse managers is to determine how job satisfaction can be improved. Greater collaboration and consultation between managers and public health nurses can be regarded as a useful way to begin this process, especially if contemporary nursing is to embrace a responsive approach within the profession. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Occupational therapy consultation for case managers in community mental health: exploring strategies to improve job satisfaction and self-efficacy.

Science.gov (United States)

Chapleau, Ann; Seroczynski, A D; Meyers, Susan; Lamb, Kristen; Haynes, Susan

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was 2-fold: (1) to examine to what extent case managers' job satisfaction and self-efficacy were impacted by the addition of an occupational therapy consultation model and (2) to identify factors that both positively and negatively impacted the occupational therapy consultation services. The study was conducted at a mental health community support program in a local homeless center. In a 2-year study, a mixed-methods design was used to study changes over time in job satisfaction and perceived self-efficacy among 14 case managers who received ongoing occupational therapy consultation. Job satisfaction and self-efficacy data were obtained using standardized questionnaires. Qualitative data related to factors impacting the consultation program were obtained using open-ended written questions, focus groups, and individual interviews. Statistically significant differences in job satisfaction and perceptions of self-efficacy were found 18 months into the study, when case managers were more actively seeking occupational therapy consultation services and were reporting improved client outcomes from occupational therapy intervention. In addition, themes related to both positive and negative factors impacting the occupational therapy consultation program were identified and provided useful data for development of future consultation services. IMPLICATION FOR CASE MANAGEMENT PRACTICE: Results suggest that ongoing training and professional support for case managers who are paraprofessionals and/or new to mental health practice may improve job satisfaction and efficacy. Occupational therapy consultation may be helpful in developing services for health promotion, including self-care management, cognitive assessments, activity-based programming, and home safety evaluation and modification. In addition, new graduates and paraprofessional case managers working with clients who are high utilizers of services may benefit from smaller caseloads and support

Job Satisfaction

African Journals Online (AJOL)

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Job Satisfaction: Rural Versus Urban Primary Health Care Workers'. Perception in ... doing it well, and being suitably rewarded for one's efforts. Several ... community recognition of their work and improved staff relationship. ..... study found important differences about attractors to ... their work, work-life balance, bureaucracy.

Job Satisfaction Analysis in Rural China: A Qualitative Study of Doctors in a Township Hospital.

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Chen, Qiwei; Yang, Lan; Feng, Qiming; Tighe, Scott S

2017-01-01

Background . Township hospitals in China provide rural communities with basic but much needed critical health care services. The doctors working in these hospitals often feel unsatisfied when considering their work schedules and financial rewards. Method . To explore job satisfaction of health workers in a township hospital, a qualitative study was conducted of 39 doctors from five township hospitals in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. The goal was to understand the level of job satisfaction of doctors and to make recommendations for improvements. Results . About 75% (28/39) of the doctors expressed negative attitudes related to their work conditions. Slightly more than half (22/39) mentioned they should receive greater compensation for their work and more than one were seriously considering other options. Many participants (35/39) showed their satisfaction about the achievement of serving as a doctor. Conclusion . Their main concerns related to job satisfaction included working conditions, financial rewards, and the doctor's relationships with patients. Increasing the incomes and fringe benefits of healthcare workers, improving their work conditions, and providing training and continuing education opportunities would help rural clinics retain doctors and eliminate the current unsatisfactory conditions. The findings also highlight the need for the government to increase financial support of township hospitals.

Job Satisfaction Analysis in Rural China: A Qualitative Study of Doctors in a Township Hospital

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Qiwei Chen

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Background. Township hospitals in China provide rural communities with basic but much needed critical health care services. The doctors working in these hospitals often feel unsatisfied when considering their work schedules and financial rewards. Method. To explore job satisfaction of health workers in a township hospital, a qualitative study was conducted of 39 doctors from five township hospitals in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. The goal was to understand the level of job satisfaction of doctors and to make recommendations for improvements. Results. About 75% (28/39 of the doctors expressed negative attitudes related to their work conditions. Slightly more than half (22/39 mentioned they should receive greater compensation for their work and more than one were seriously considering other options. Many participants (35/39 showed their satisfaction about the achievement of serving as a doctor. Conclusion. Their main concerns related to job satisfaction included working conditions, financial rewards, and the doctor’s relationships with patients. Increasing the incomes and fringe benefits of healthcare workers, improving their work conditions, and providing training and continuing education opportunities would help rural clinics retain doctors and eliminate the current unsatisfactory conditions. The findings also highlight the need for the government to increase financial support of township hospitals.

Improved nurse job satisfaction and job retention with the transition from a "mandatory consultation" model to a "semiclosed" surgical intensive care unit: a 1-year prospective evaluation.

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Haut, Elliott R; Sicoutris, Corinna P; Meredith, Denise M; Sonnad, Seema S; Reilly, Patrick M; Schwab, C William; Hanson, C William; Gracias, Vicente H

2006-02-01

The change from a "mandatory consultation" to a "semiclosed" surgical intensive care unit (SICU) model will impact nurses considerably. We hypothesize that nurse job satisfaction, job turnover rates, and hospital costs for temporary agency nurses will improve and these improvements will be more dramatic in SICU sections with greater involvement of a dedicated surgical critical care service (SCCS). Prospective longitudinal survey. Tertiary-care university hospital. SICU staff nurses. Change from mandatory consultation to semiclosed SICU. We surveyed SICU nurses during the year-long transition to a semiclosed SICU service (five time points, 3-month intervals). The first four surveys included ten questions on nurse job satisfaction. The final survey included two additional questions. All questions were on a 5-point Likert scale (1 = strongly disagree to 5 = strongly agree). Nurse job turnover rates and money spent on agency nurses were compared over time; 503 of a possible 914 surveys were completed (55% overall return rate). Nurse job satisfaction scores significantly improved over time for all questions (p job turnover rate dropped from 25% to 16% (p = .15). The scores for both year-end statements ("I am more satisfied with my job now than 1 year ago" and "The SCCS management of all orders has improved my job satisfaction") were significantly higher in sections with greater SCCS involvement (p = .0070 and p job satisfaction improved significantly with the transition to a semiclosed SICU. This higher satisfaction was associated with a significant decrease in spending on temporary agency nurses and a trend toward increased staff nurse job retention. SICU sections with greater SCCS involvement had more dramatic improvements. This semiclosed SICU model may help retain SICU nurses in a competitive job market in which experienced nurses are in short supply.

Actor and Partner Effects of Attachment on Relationship Satisfaction and Sexual Satisfaction Across the Genders: An APIM Approach.

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Conradi, Henk Jan; Noordhof, Arjen; Dingemanse, Pieter; Barelds, Dick P H; Kamphuis, Jan H

2017-10-01

Previous studies found gender differences in relationship satisfaction and sexuality. We tested gender differences in associations between attachment, a lasting relationship determinant, and two outcomes, relationship and sexual satisfaction. This study improves on earlier research by examining these associations in one Actor-Partner-Interdependence-Model, making direct statistical testing between outcomes possible. Furthermore, a community and a distressed sample (N = 113 heterosexual couples each) were included to attempt replication across samples and to examine clinical implications. In both genders, actor attachment avoidance negatively affected relationship satisfaction and (with one exception) sexual satisfaction. Also in both genders, partner attachment avoidance negatively affected sexual satisfaction. However, whereas partner attachment avoidance influenced female relationship satisfaction, it did not affect male relationship satisfaction. The findings replicated across samples. Clinical implications are discussed. © 2017 American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy.

[Factors associated with the satisfaction of prescribers of blood products in Burkina Faso].

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Sawadogo, S; Kafando, E; Nébié, K; Ouédraogo, A-S; Ouattara, S; Dahourou, H; Fretz, C; Deneys, V

2017-11-01

The National Blood Transfusion Centre, unique operator of blood transfusion in Burkina Faso is engaged into the quality process according to ISO 9001. Therefore, the assessment of customer satisfaction is a main part of its system. Our study conceives "customer satisfaction" as dependant to the perceived service quality based on SERVQUAL model. To identify factors associated with the satisfaction of blood products prescribers in order to help decision-makers for continuous improvement of services. We conducted a cross-sectional survey among prescribers of blood components in Ouagadougou, between February 27 and April 30, 2015. We used an anonymous self-administered questionnaire, including 13 items associated to the 5 dimensions of SERVQUAL model. The different satisfaction gaps were calculated and linear regression was used to determine statistical associations with a significance level of 5%. The return rate was 94.5% about the 256 questionnaires distributed. A total of 30% of respondents were satisfied to very satisfied. The overall global gap of satisfaction was -5.74. The product delivery time, the efficacy and safety of blood products, the medical and clinical support, the pro-activity of the communication, the management of blood products reservation and the satisfaction of needs in blood products were the factors associated with the prescribers' satisfaction. This first study in blood transfusion services in our context was been useful to assess customer satisfaction and identify the main axes on which targeting priority actions in order to effectively use available resources. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Time course and predictors of health-related quality of life improvement and medication satisfaction in children diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder treated with the methylphenidate transdermal system.

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Frazier, Thomas W; Weiss, Margaret; Hodgkins, Paul; Manos, Michael J; Landgraf, Jeanne M; Gibbins, Christopher

2010-10-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the time course and predictors of improvement in health-related quality of life (HRQL) and medication satisfaction in children diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and treated with the methylphenidate transdermal system (MTS). Temporal relationships between ADHD symptoms, medication satisfaction, and HRQL measures were examined via latent growth curve, structural path, and growth mixture models. Higher levels of medication satisfaction at the end of titration predicted greater increases in family HRQL (p=0.004) and, to a lesser extent, child HRQL (p=0.068) throughout the study. At 4 of 6 (pchild HRQL. At 2 of 6 (pchild or family HRQL improvements at subsequent time points. A uniform pattern of change for child HRQL was noted, with most HRQL change following the pattern of symptom change during titration. Three distinct patterns of change were noted for family HRQL. In most cases, medication satisfaction, ADHD symptoms, and HRQL improved simultaneously, suggesting that HRQL was not a delayed response to improvement in symptoms. Children showed a uniform pattern of improvement in HRQL that followed symptom change; three distinct patterns of change were found for improvement in family HRQL.

A Health Care Project Management Office's Strategies for Continual Change and Continuous Improvement.

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Lavoie-Tremblay, Mélanie; Aubry, Monique; Richer, Marie-Claire; Cyr, Guylaine

Health care organizations need project and change management support in order to achieve successful transformations. A project management office (PMO) helps support the organizations through their transformations along with increasing their capabilities in project and change management. The aim of the present study was to extend understanding of the continuous improvement mechanisms used by PMOs and to describe PMO's strategies for continual change and continuous improvement in the context of major transformation in health care. This study is a descriptive case study design with interviews conducted from October to December 2015 with PMO's members (3 managers and 1 director) and 3 clients working with the PMO after a major redevelopment project ended (transition to the new facility). Participants suggested a number of elements including carefully selecting the members of the PMO, having a clear mandate for the PMO, having a method and a discipline at the same time as allowing openness and flexibility, clearly prioritizing projects, optimizing collaboration, planning for everything the PMO will need, not overlooking organizational culture, and retaining the existing support model. This study presents a number of factors ensuring the sustainability of changes.

Multidisciplinary in-hospital teams improve patient outcomes: A review.

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Epstein, Nancy E

2014-01-01

The use of multidisciplinary in-hospital teams limits adverse events (AE), improves outcomes, and adds to patient and employee satisfaction. Acting like "well-oiled machines," multidisciplinary in-hospital teams include "staff" from different levels of the treatment pyramid (e.g. staff including nurses' aids, surgical technicians, nurses, anesthesiologists, attending physicians, and others). Their enhanced teamwork counters the "silo effect" by enhancing communication between the different levels of healthcare workers and thus reduces AE (e.g. morbidity/mortality) while improving patient and healthcare worker satisfaction. Multiple articles across diverse disciplines incorporate a variety of concepts of "teamwork" for staff covering emergency rooms (ERs), hospital wards, intensive care units (ICUs), and most critically, operating rooms (ORs). Cohesive teamwork improved communication between different levels of healthcare workers, and limited adverse events, improved outcomes, decreased the length of stay (LOS), and yielded greater patient "staff" satisfaction. Within hospitals, delivering the best medical/surgical care is a "team sport." The goals include: Maximizing patient safety (e.g. limiting AE) and satisfaction, decreasing the LOS, and increasing the quality of outcomes. Added benefits include optimizing healthcare workers' performance, reducing hospital costs/complications, and increasing job satisfaction. This review should remind hospital administrators of the critical need to keep multidisciplinary teams together, so that they can continue to operate their "well-oiled machines" enhancing the quality/safety of patient care, while enabling "staff" to optimize their performance and enhance their job satisfaction.

Software Maintenance Management Evaluation and Continuous Improvement

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April, Alain

2008-01-01

This book explores the domain of software maintenance management and provides road maps for improving software maintenance organizations. It describes full maintenance maturity models organized by levels 1, 2, and 3, which allow for benchmarking and continuous improvement paths. Goals for each key practice area are also provided, and the model presented is fully aligned with the architecture and framework of software development maturity models of CMMI and ISO 15504. It is complete with case studies, figures, tables, and graphs.

Physician Satisfaction With Clinical Laboratory Services: A College of American Pathologists Q-Probes Study of 81 Institutions.

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McCall, Shannon J; Souers, Rhona J; Blond, Barbara; Massie, Larry

2016-10-01

-Assessment of customer satisfaction is a vital component of the laboratory quality improvement program. -To survey the level of physician satisfaction with hospital clinical laboratory services. -Participating institutions provided demographic information and survey results of physician satisfaction, with specific features of clinical laboratory services individually rated on a scale of 5 (excellent) to 1 (poor). -Eighty-one institutions submitted 2425 surveys. The median overall satisfaction score was 4.2 (10th percentile, 3.6; 90th percentile, 4.6). Of the 16 surveyed areas receiving the highest percentage of excellent/good ratings (combined scores of 4 and 5), quality of results was highest along with test menu adequacy, staff courtesy, and overall satisfaction. Of the 4 categories receiving the lowest percentage values of excellent/good ratings, 3 were related to turnaround time for inpatient "STAT" (tests performed immediately), outpatient STAT, and esoteric tests. The fourth was a new category presented in this survey: ease of electronic order entry. Here, 11.4% (241 of 2121) of physicians assigned below-average (2) or poor (1) scores. The 5 categories deemed most important to physicians included quality of results, turnaround times for inpatient STAT, routine, and outpatient STAT tests, and clinical report format. Overall satisfaction as measured by physician willingness to recommend their laboratory to another physician remains high at 94.5% (2160 of 2286 respondents). -There is a continued trend of high physician satisfaction and loyalty with clinical laboratory services. Physician dissatisfaction with ease of electronic order entry represents a new challenge. Test turnaround times are persistent areas of dissatisfaction, representing areas for improvement.

Job satisfaction among radiation therapy educators.

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Swafford, Larry G; Legg, Jeffrey S

2007-01-01

Job satisfaction is one of the most consistent variables related to employee retention and is especially relevant considering the shortage of radiation therapists and radiation therapy educators in the United States. To investigate job satisfaction levels among radiation therapy educators certified by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists and employed in programs accredited by the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology. The long form of the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ) was mailed to 158 radiation therapy educators to measure job satisfaction. Overall job satisfaction and subscales were calculated based on MSQ methodology. A total of 90 usable surveys were returned for a 56.9% response rate. With a "general satisfaction" score of 69.64, radiation therapy educators ranked in the lowest 25th percentile of the nondisabled norm scale for job satisfaction. Respondents reported higher degrees of job satisfaction on the moral values, social service and achievement subscales. Lower job satisfaction levels were associated with the company policies and practices, advancement and compensation subscales. Radiation therapy educators report low job satisfaction. Educational institutions must tailor recruitment and retention efforts to better reflect the positive aspects of being a radiation therapy educator. Furthermore, improving retention and recruitment efforts might help offset the current shortages of radiation therapy educators and, ultimately, clinical radiation therapists.

Organisational learning: A tool for continuous improvement of the organization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Santos, J. L.; Esteban, M. J.

2013-01-01

We are used to hear a success company in today's world is not possible unless a continuous improvement is developed. How can we be successful in the nuclear plant? We have to achieve safety for workers, people and environment in the first step, and for the second step availability and reliability for systems and components to avoid failure of components that could reduce availability. The aim is to search for new measures to reach this way. One of the improvements implemented in the plants to improve continuously was mainly Operating Experience activities, which was based in event analysis in the plants, causes identification, and to implement corrective actions. For External Operating Experience the aim was to learn from others to avoid occurrence of events in our plants. This was the lessons learned from Three Mile Island event. This was the learning process implemented so far, to get a continuous improvement. So far, the developed capabilities for process improvement follow the Operating Experience process that could be considered classical and will be revitalized nowadays. (Author)

Physician identification and patient satisfaction in the emergency department: are they related?

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Mercer, Mary P; Hernandez-Boussard, Tina; Mahadevan, Swaminatha V; Strehlow, Matthew C

2014-05-01

Patient satisfaction has become a quality indicator tracked closely by hospitals and emergency departments (EDs). Unfortunately, the primary factors driving patient satisfaction remain poorly studied. It has been suggested that correct physician identification impacts patient satisfaction in hospitalized patients, however, the limited studies that exist have demonstrated mixed results. In this study, we sought to identify factors associated with improved satisfaction among ED patients, and specifically, to test whether improving physician identification by patients would lead to increased satisfaction. We performed a pre- and postintervention, survey-based study of patients at the end of their ED visits. We compared patient satisfaction scores as well as patients' abilities to correctly identify their physicians over two separate 1-week periods: prior to and after introducing a multimedia presentation of the attending physicians into the waiting room. A total of 486 patients (25% of all ED visits) were enrolled in the study. In the combined study population, overall patient satisfaction was higher among patients who correctly identified their physicians than among those who could not identify their physicians (combined mean satisfaction score of 8.1 vs. 7.2; odds ratio [OR] 1.07). Overall satisfaction was also higher among parents or guardians of pediatric patients than among adult patients (satisfaction score of 8.4 vs. 7.4; OR 1.07), and among patients who experienced a shorter door-to-doctor time (satisfaction score of 8.2 for shorter waiting time vs. 5.6 for longer waiting time; OR 1.15). Ambulance patients showed decreased satisfaction over some satisfaction parameters, including physician courtesy and knowledge. No direct relationship was demonstrated between the study intervention (multimedia presentation) and improved patient satisfaction or physician identification. Improved patient satisfaction was found to be positively correlated with correct physician

Determinants of job satisfaction of healthcare professionals in public hospitals in Belgrade, Serbia--Cross-sectional analysis.

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Kuburović, Nina B; Dedić, Velimir; Djuricić, Slavisa; Kuburović, Vladimir

2016-01-01

The quality of health care significantly depends on the satisfaction of the employees. The objective of this study was to establish the level of professional satisfaction of healthcare professionals in state hospitals in Belgrade, Serbia, and to determine and to rank the factors which impact on their satisfaction or dissatisfaction. Professional satisfaction survey was designed and conducted as a cross-sectional study in 2008. Completed questionnaires were returned by 6,595 healthcare professionals from Belgrade's hospitals. Statistical analysis was performed using the Student's t-test, χ² test and ANOVA. Factor analysis was applied in order to define determinants of professional satisfaction, i.e. dissatisfaction. This study showed that the degree of professional satisfaction of Serbian healthcare professionals was low. The main causes of professionals'dissatisfaction were wages, equipment, the possibility of continuous medical education/training and the opportunities for professional development. Healthcare professionals with university education were more satisfied with all the individual aspects of job satisfaction than those with secondary school and college education. There were significantly more healthcare professionals satisfied with their job among males, older than 60 years, in the age group 50-59 years, with managerial function, and with 30 or more years of service. Development strategy of human resources in the Serbian health care system would significantly improve the professional satisfaction and quality of the provided health care.

The Effect of Utilizing Organizational Culture Improvement Model of Patient Education on Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Patients' Anxiety and Satisfaction: Theory Testing.

Science.gov (United States)

Farahani, Mansoureh Ashghali; Ghaffari, Fatemeh; Norouzinezhad, Faezeh; Orak, Roohangiz Jamshidi

2016-11-01

Due to the increasing prevalence of arteriosclerosis and the mortality caused by this disease, Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG) has become one of the most common surgical procedures. Utilization of patient education is approved as an effective solution for increasing patient survival and outcomes of treatment. However, failure to consider different aspects of patient education has turned this goal into an unattainable one. The objective of this research was to determine the effect of utilizing the organizational culture improvement model of patient education on CABG patients' anxiety and satisfaction. The present study is a randomized controlled trial. This study was conducted on eighty CABG patients. The patients were selected from the CCU and Post-CCU wards of a hospital affiliated with Iran University of Medical Sciences in Tehran, Iran, during 2015. Eshpel Burger's Anxiety Inventory and Patients' Satisfaction Questionnaire were used to collect the required information. Levels of anxiety and satisfaction of patients before intervention and at the time of release were measured. The intervention took place after preparing a programmed package based on the organizational culture improvement model for the following dimensions: effective communication, participatory decision-making, goal setting, planning, implementation and recording, supervision and control, and improvement of motivation. After recording the data, it was analyzed in the chi-square test, t-independent and Mann-Whitney U tests. The significance level of tests was assumed to be 0.05. SPSS version 18 was also utilized for data analysis. Research results revealed that variations in the mean scores of situational and personality anxiety of the control and experiment group were descending following the intervention, but the decrease was higher in the experiment group (p≤0.0001). In addition, the variations of the mean scores of patients' satisfaction with education were higher in the experiment group

Analysis of job satisfaction of employees

OpenAIRE

Procházka, Lukáš

2011-01-01

This thesis examines the problem of job satisfaction. It explains basic concepts and methods of most widely used theories of job satisfaction. The work contains survey on job satisfaction on a specific market entity - the company Telefónica Czech Republic, a.s., the findings of current situation and it proposes alternative procedures to improve the situation. Data collection was performed using a questionnaire submitted by employees of the company Telefónica Czech Republic, a. s. On the basis...

Continuous Improvement and its Barriers in Electrical and Electronic Industry

OpenAIRE

Ahmad Md Fauzi; Yan Toh Li; Wei Chan Shiau; Aizat Ahmad Ahmad Nur; Raja Mohd Rasi Raja Zuraidah; Abdul Rahman Nor Aida; Muhd Nor Nik Hisyamudin; Hassan Mohd Fahrul; Hashim Fatan Adibah

2017-01-01

Continuous improvement is one of the core strategies for manufacturing excellent and it is considered vital in today’s business environment. Continuous improvement is an important factor in TQM implementation. However, manufacturers in Electrical and Electronic Industry is facing variety of challenges such as, time constraint, quality issue, headcount issue, human issue and competition in domestic as well as the global market. This paper presents total quality management practices in Electric...

Comprehensive Evaluation on Employee Satisfaction of Mine Occupational Health and Safety Management System Based on Improved AHP and 2-Tuple Linguistic Information

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Jiangdong Bao

2017-01-01

Full Text Available In order to comprehensively evaluate the employee satisfaction of mine occupational health and safety management system, an analytic method based on fuzzy analytic hierarchy process and 2-tuple linguistic model was established. Based on the establishment of 5 first-grade indicators and 20 second-grade ones, method of improved AHP and the time-ordered Weighted Averaging Operator (T-OWA model is constructed. The results demonstrate that the employee satisfaction of the mine occupational health and safety management system is of the ‘general’ rank. The method including the evaluation of employee satisfaction and the quantitative analysis of language evaluation information ensures the authenticity of the language evaluation information.

Assessment of business customers satisfaction with the products and service of Pnevmostroimashina, jsc, on the B2B market

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L. M. Kapustina

2010-12-01

Full Text Available The paper is dedicated to development of a methodology for assessment of customer satisfaction with the products and services on the b2b market. The study of customer satisfaction is aimed at building strong and mutually beneficial supplier-customer relationship. The authors focus on the importance of customer satisfaction continuous monitoring intended for improvement of the company’s market performance. The research based on the works by Kano N., Lamben J.-J., Carter R., Parashuraman A., Zeitaml V. A., Berry L. L. and others, describes an algorithm study of consumers and offers a methodology to evaluate customer satisfaction with the industrial products. Based on the analysis of the economic crisis effects on the machine-building industry, the authors determine the performance of “Pnevmostroimashina”, JSC, on the road and construction equipment market and illustrate an example of practical use of the customer satisfaction assessment technique in the company. At the end of the paper some recommendations for development of an efficient customer satisfaction measurement procedure are introduced.

Continuous Improvement in State Funded Preschool Programs

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Jackson, Sarah L.

2012-01-01

State funded preschool programs were constantly faced with the need to change in order to address internal and external demands. As programs engaged in efforts towards change, minimal research was available on how to support continuous improvement efforts within the context unique to state funded preschool programs. Guidance available had…

Quick and continuous improvement through kaizen blitz.

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McNichols, T; Hassinger, R; Bapst, G W

1999-05-01

It is our objective to provide you with a step-by-step approach to conducting a kaizen blitz within two days and describe how to achieve dramatic performance improvement with employee buy-in through this process. Kaizen blitz has been used dozens of times by the authors, and in some instances the same area has been blitzed as many as four times, with significant improvements each and every time. Employees have even taken it on themselves to conduct informal blitzes as a continuing improvement effort after a formal blitz has been conducted in their area. Blitzes can succeed in a variety of environments. The morning after the employees of one company attended this presentation, they self initiated a mini-blitz and discovered opportunities for improvement that they enthusiastically presented to management.

Online continuing medical education (CME) for GPs: does it work? A systematic review.

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Thepwongsa, Isaraporn; Kirby, Catherine N; Schattner, Peter; Piterman, Leon

2014-10-01

Numerous studies have assessed the effectiveness of online continuing medical education (CME) designed to improve healthcare professionals' care of patients. The effects of online educational interventions targeted at general practitioners (GP), however, have not been systematically reviewed. A computer search was conducted through seven databases for studies assessing changes in GPs' knowledge and practice, or patient outcomes following an online educational intervention. Eleven studies met the eligibility criteria. Most studies (8/11, 72.7%) found a significant improvement in at least one of the following outcomes: satisfaction, knowledge or practice change. There was little evidence for the impact of online CME on patient outcomes. Variability in study design, characteristics of online and outcome measures limited conclusions on the effects of online CME. Online CME could improve GP satisfaction, knowledge and practices but there are very few well-designed studies that focus on this delivery method of GP education.

[Application of a continual improvement approach to selecting diagnostic markers for acute pancreatitis in an emergency department].

Science.gov (United States)

Salinas, María; Flores, Emilio; López-Garrigós, Maite; Díaz, Elena; Esteban, Patricia; Leiva-Salinas, Carlos

2017-01-01

To apply a continual improvement model to develop an algorithm for ordering laboratory tests to diagnose acute pancreatitis in a hospital emergency department. Quasi-experimental study using the continual improvement model (plan, do, check, adjust cycles) in 2 consecutive phases in emergency patients: amylase and lipase results were used to diagnose acute pancreatitis in the first phase; in the second, only lipase level was first determined; amylase testing was then ordered only if the lipase level fell within a certain range. We collected demographic data, number amylase and lipase tests ordered and the findings, final diagnosis, and the results of a questionnaire to evaluate satisfaction with emergency care. The first phase included 517 patients, of whom 20 had acute pancreatitis. For amylase testing sensitivity was 0.70; specificity, 0.85; positive predictive value (PPV), 17; and negative predictive value (NPV), 0.31. For lipase testing these values were sensitivity, 0.85; specificity, 0.96; PPV, 21, and NPV, 0.16. When both tests were done, sensitivity was 0.85; specificity 0.99; PPV, 85; and NPV, 0.15. The second phase included data for 4815 patients, 118 of whom had acute pancreatitis. The measures of diagnostic yield for the new algorithm were sensitivity, 0.92; specificity, 0.98; PPV, 46; and NPV, 0.08]. This study demonstrates a process for developing a protocol to guide laboratory testing in acute pancreatitis in the hospital emergency department. The proposed sequence of testing for pancreatic enzyme levels can be effective for diagnosing acute pancreatitis in patients with abdominal pain.

Organizational performance impacting patient satisfaction in Ontario hospitals: a multilevel analysis

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

Background Patient satisfaction in health care constitutes an important component of organizational performance in the hospital setting. Satisfaction measures have been developed and used to evaluate and improve hospital performance, quality of care and physician practice. In order to direct improvement strategies, it is necessary to evaluate both individual and organizational factors that can impact patients’ perception of care. The study aims were to determine the dimensions of patient satisfaction, and to analyze the individual and organizational determinants of satisfaction dimensions in hospitals. Methods We used patient and hospital survey data as well as administrative data collected for a 2008 public hospital report in Ontario, Canada. We evaluated the clustering of patient survey items with exploratory factor analysis and derived plausible dimensions of satisfaction. A two-level multivariate model was fitted to analyze the determinants of satisfaction. Results We found eight satisfaction factors, with acceptable to good level of loadings and good reliability. More than 95% of variation in patient satisfaction scores was attributable to patient-level variation, with less than 5% attributable to hospital-level variation. The hierarchical models explain 5 to 17% of variation at the patient level and up to 52% of variation between hospitals. Individual patient characteristics had the strongest association with all dimensions of satisfaction. Few organizational performance indicators are associated with patient satisfaction and significant determinants differ according to the satisfaction dimension. Conclusions The research findings highlight the importance of adjusting for both patient-level and organization-level characteristics when evaluating patient satisfaction. Better understanding and measurement of organization-level activities and processes associated with patient satisfaction could contribute to improved satisfaction ratings and care quality. PMID

Patient satisfaction in Dental Healthcare Centers.

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Ali, Dena A

2016-01-01

This study aimed to (1) measure the degree of patient satisfaction among the clinical and nonclinical dental services offered at specialty dental centers and (2) investigate the factors associated with the degree of overall satisfaction. Four hundred and ninety-seven participants from five dental centers were recruited for this study. Each participant completed a self-administered questionnaire to measure patient satisfaction with clinical and nonclinical dental services. Analysis of variance, t-tests, a general linear model, and stepwise regression analysis was applied. The respondents were generally satisfied, but internal differences were observed. The exhibited highest satisfaction with the dentists' performance, followed by the dental assistants' services, and the lowest satisfaction with the center's physical appearance and accessibility. Females, participants with less than a bachelor's degree, and younger individuals were more satisfied with the clinical and nonclinical dental services. The stepwise regression analysis revealed that the coefficient of determination (R (2)) was 40.4%. The patient satisfaction with the performance of the dentists explained 42.6% of the overall satisfaction, whereas their satisfaction with the clinical setting explained 31.5% of the overall satisfaction. Additional improvements with regard to the accessibility and physical appearance of the dental centers are needed. In addition, interventions regarding accessibility, particularly when booking an appointment, are required.

Continuous Improvement in Nursing Education through Total Quality Management (TQM

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Tang Wai Mun

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Total Quality Management (TQM has generally been validated as a crucial revolution in the management field. Many academicians believe that the concept of TQM is applicable to academics and provides guiding principles towards improving education. Therefore, an increasing number of educational institutions such as schools, colleges and universities have started to embrace TQM philosophies to their curricula.Within the context of TQM, this paper would explore the concept of continuous improvement by using the Deming philosophy. Subsequently, this paper would elaborate on the application of TQM to bring about continuous improvement in the current education system.

Operational Aspects of Continuous Pharmaceutical Production

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mitic, Aleksandar

Introduction of the Process Analytical Technolo gy (PAT) Initiative, the Quality by Design (QbD) approach and the Continuous Improvement (CI) methodology/philosophy is considered as a huge milestone in the modern pharmaceutical indust ry. The above concepts, when applied to a pharmaceutical...... satisfaction of the demands defined by the PA T Initiative. This approach could be considered as establishing a Lean Production System (LPS) whic h is usually supported with tools associated with Process Intensifaction (PI) a nd Process Optimization (PO). Development of continuous processes is often c onnected...... tools, such as microwave assisted organic synthesis (MAOS), ultrasounds, meso-scale flow chemistry and microprocess technology. Furthermore, developmen t of chemical catalysts and enzymes enabled further acceleration of some chemical reactions that were known as very slow or impossible to be performed...

Emotional Intelligence and Job Satisfaction

Science.gov (United States)

Hosseinian, Simin; Yazdi, Seyedeh-Monavar; Zahraie, Shaghayegh; Fathi-Ashtiani, Ali

This study aims to investigate the effect of training some aspects of Emotional Intelligence (EI) on job satisfaction and productivity of employees. The results can help organizations to realize human capabilities and the way to improve them by paying more attention to psychological issues. We used a quasi-experimental method using a pre-test and a post-test designed with control group and a four-month follow-up. Study population consists of employees of Marine Installations and Construction Company. Considering variables like age, education and job rank, we selected 28 employees who earned the lowest score for EI. They were then randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. Each employee got job satisfaction and productivity questionnaires and their managers were given employee evaluation questionnaire. Then some aspects of EI were taught to the experimental group once a week for 10 sessions. Four months later, both groups were evaluated by managers. The results show that education did not increase employees` job satisfaction nor did it improve managers` evaluation. However, employees` productivity score after training sessions and managers` evaluation improved in the long run. The results reveal that training EI by further controlling the above-mentioned variables is effective and essential to improve human resources.

Impact of a hospital improvement initiative in Bangladesh on patient experiences and satisfaction with services: two cross-sectional studies

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Omer Khalid

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The Bangladesh government implemented a pilot Hospital Improvement Initiative (HII in five hospitals in Sylhet division between 1998 and 2003. This included management and behaviour change training for staff, waste disposal and procurement, and referral arrangements. Two linked cross-sectional surveys in 2000 and 2003 assessed the impact of the HII, assessing both patients' experience and satisfaction and public views and use of the hospitals. Methods In each survey we asked 300 consecutive outpatients and a stratified random sample of 300 inpatients in the five hospitals about waiting and consultation time, use of an agent for admission, and satisfaction with privacy, cleanliness, and staff behaviour. The field teams observed cleanliness and privacy arrangements, and visited a sample of households in communities near the hospitals to ask about their opinions and use of the hospital services. Analysis examined changes over time in patients' experience and views. Multivariate analysis took account of other variables potentially associated with the outcomes. Survey managers discussed the survey findings with gender stratified focus groups in each sample community. Results Compared with 2000, an outpatient in three of the hospitals in 2003 was more likely to be seen within 10 minutes and for at least five minutes by the doctor, but outpatients were less likely to report receiving all the prescribed medicines from the hospital. In 2003, inpatients were more likely to have secured admission without using an agent. Although patients’ satisfaction with several aspects of care improved, most changes were not statistically significant. Households in 2003 were significantly more likely to rate the hospitals as good than in 2000. Use of the hospitals did not change, except that more households used the medical college hospital for inpatient care in 2003. Focus groups confirmed criticisms of services and suggested improvements

Employee satisfaction: code red in the workplace?

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McBride, Eldon L

2002-09-01

Concerns about employee satisfaction are just as critical in the health care industry as they are in other business sectors. This article highlights the commonality of employee opinion survey questions (from 3 sources) that most highly correlate with employee satisfaction. A visual coaching tool for managers will be introduced that enables managers to facilitate constructive work group conversations about their experience of workplace satisfaction and generate ideas they can implement for improvement.

The Relationship between Marital and Sexual Satisfaction among Married Women Employees at Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Iran.

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Ziaee, Tayebe; Jannati, Yadollah; Mobasheri, Elham; Taghavi, Taraneh; Abdollahi, Habib; Modanloo, Mahnaz; Behnampour, Naser

2014-01-01

There are various elements affecting the healthy family such as marital satisfaction. Various factors such as sexual satisfaction have an important impact on satisfaction of marital relationship. The present study aimed to determine the association of marital satisfaction with sexual satisfaction among sexually active employee women. This analytical descriptive study was carried on 140 married women employed at educational and medical centers of Golestan University of Medical Sciences. Questionnaires for data collection included Enrich Marital Satisfaction Questionnaire and self-constructed questionnaire (demographic characteristic and sexual satisfaction). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, χ(2) and Spearman statistical test. Statistical significant level was set as 0.05. The findings showed that in marital satisfaction scale, the majority of the participants (63.6%) were very satisfied and none of them were very unsatisfied. In sexual satisfaction scale, most of the participants (56.4%) expressed extremely satisfaction rate and only 0.7% were not satisfied with their sexual relationship. Marital satisfaction was significantly associated with sexual satisfaction (p ≤ 0.001). So with the increase of sexual satisfaction, there was an increase in marital satisfaction accordingly. The findings indicated that there was a significant association between sexual satisfaction and age (p = 0.086). Level of education was associated significantly with the marital satisfaction (p = 0.038). The effects of sexual satisfaction on marital satisfaction were moderated by number of children and the level of education. The findings have implications for improving of couples' marital satisfaction by highlighting the need for awareness of sexual quality. According to the findings, it seems that development of educational programs and pre-marriage counseling is necessary. Continuous education would be helpful after marriage in addressing couples' unique transitional

The Relationship between Marital and Sexual Satisfaction among Married Women Employees at Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Iran

Science.gov (United States)

Ziaee, Tayebe; Jannati, Yadollah; Mobasheri, Elham; Taghavi, Taraneh; Abdollahi, Habib; Modanloo, Mahnaz; Behnampour, Naser

2014-01-01

Objective: There are various elements affecting the healthy family such as marital satisfaction. Various factors such as sexual satisfaction have an important impact on satisfaction of marital relationship. The present study aimed to determine the association of marital satisfaction with sexual satisfaction among sexually active employee women. Methods: This analytical descriptive study was carried on 140 married women employed at educational and medical centers of Golestan University of Medical Sciences. Questionnaires for data collection included Enrich Marital Satisfaction Questionnaire and self-constructed questionnaire (demographic characteristic and sexual satisfaction). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, χ2 and Spearman statistical test. Statistical significant level was set as 0.05. Results: The findings showed that in marital satisfaction scale, the majority of the participants (63.6%) were very satisfied and none of them were very unsatisfied. In sexual satisfaction scale, most of the participants (56.4%) expressed extremely satisfaction rate and only 0.7% were not satisfied with their sexual relationship. Marital satisfaction was significantly associated with sexual satisfaction (p ≤ 0.001). So with the increase of sexual satisfaction, there was an increase in marital satisfaction accordingly. The findings indicated that there was a significant association between sexual satisfaction and age (p = 0.086). Level of education was associated significantly with the marital satisfaction (p = 0.038). The effects of sexual satisfaction on marital satisfaction were moderated by number of children and the level of education. Conclusion: The findings have implications for improving of couples' marital satisfaction by highlighting the need for awareness of sexual quality. According to the findings, it seems that development of educational programs and pre-marriage counseling is necessary. Continuous education would be helpful after marriage in

Strategic collaborative quality management and employee job satisfaction.

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Mosadeghrad, Ali Mohammad

2014-05-01

This study aimed to examine Strategic Collaborative Quality Management (SCQM) impact on employee job satisfaction. The study presents a case study over six years following the implementation of the SCQM programme in a public hospital. A validated questionnaire was used to measure employees' job satisfaction. The impact of the intervention was measured by comparing the pre-intervention and post-intervention measures in the hospital. The hospital reported a significant improvement in some dimensions of job satisfaction like management and supervision, organisational policies, task requirement, and working conditions. This paper provides detailed information on how a quality management model implementation affects employees. A well developed, well introduced and institutionalised quality management model can improve employees' job satisfaction. However, the success of quality management needs top management commitment and stability.

Strategic Collaborative Quality Management and Employee Job Satisfaction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ali Mohammad Mosadeghrad

2014-05-01

Full Text Available Background This study aimed to examine Strategic Collaborative Quality Management (SCQM impact on employee job satisfaction. Methods The study presents a case study over six years following the implementation of the SCQM programme in a public hospital. A validated questionnaire was used to measure employees’ job satisfaction. The impact of the intervention was measured by comparing the pre-intervention and post-intervention measures in the hospital. Results The hospital reported a significant improvement in some dimensions of job satisfaction like management and supervision, organisational policies, task requirement, and working conditions. Conclusion This paper provides detailed information on how a quality management model implementation affects employees. A well developed, well introduced and institutionalised quality management model can improve employees’ job satisfaction. However, the success of quality management needs top management commitment and stability.

Continuous quality improvement program for hip and knee replacement.

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Marshall, Deborah A; Christiansen, Tanya; Smith, Christopher; Squire Howden, Jane; Werle, Jason; Faris, Peter; Frank, Cy

2015-01-01

Improving quality of care and maximizing efficiency are priorities in hip and knee replacement, where surgical demand and costs increase as the population ages. The authors describe the integrated structure and processes from the Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) Program for Hip and Knee Replacement Surgical Care and summarize lessons learned from implementation. The Triple Aim framework and 6 dimensions of quality care are overarching constructs of the CQI program. A validated, evidence-based clinical pathway that measures quality across the continuum of care was adopted. Working collaboratively, multidisciplinary experts embedded the CQI program into everyday practices in clinics across Alberta. Currently, 83% of surgeons participate in the CQI program, representing 95% of the total volume of hip and knee surgeries. Biannual reports provide feedback to improve care processes, infrastructure planning, and patient outcomes. CQI programs evaluating health care services inform choices to optimize care and improve efficiencies through continuous knowledge translation. © The Author(s) 2014.

Inquiry about key dimensions of service qualities and guests satisfaction in restaurants

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Dimitrovski Darko D.

2013-01-01

Full Text Available A lot of marketing experts in catering, restaurants especially, have recently been preoccupied by measuring the service quality. Business in competitive and turbulent surrounding requires that restaurants continually improve their products, which is based on guests specific demands and wishes. Comprehension of how consumers see catering offer and research on factors that determine consumers satisfaction are the key for achieving business aims. The aim of this study is an identification of key components of service qualities which restaurants and their influence on guests satisfaction offer. Measures of descriptive statistics, explorative factor and multiple regressive analysis were used in order to achieve the aims of the research. The facts were collected by using the survey. Results of the research highlight 3 key elements of the service quality that restaurants offer and those are: professionalism of personnel, understanding of guests, paying individual attention and meeting specific demands. The first two components include attributes that evince statistically important influence on guests satisfaction. Finds of conducted survey help managers and restaurateurs determine factors they will focus on during the making marketing strategy which will supply high level of consumers satisfaction on one side, and long-term profitability on the other side.

Visual Acuity Improvement in Continuous vs Divided Occlusion in Anisometropic Amblyopia.

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Irfani, Irawati; Feriyanto, Feri; Oktarima, Primawita; Kartasasmita, Arief

2018-01-01

To compare visual acuity improvement between continuous and split part-time occlusion for the treatment of moderate and severe anisometropic amblyopia. Randomised clinical trials in 6 - 13 y.o children with moderate and severe anisometropic amblyopia. Each patient was consecutively selected with continuous or split part-time occlusion. Best corrected visual acuity's improvement was followed up to six weeks and statistical data were analyzed using chi square and unpaired t-test. Best corrected visual acuity's improvement was comparable between continuous and split part-time occlusion (0.20±0.27 vs 0.21±0.25; p = 0.79). Split part-time occlusion may be considered as an alternative treatment for moderate and severe anisometropic amblyopia treatment.

Job satisfaction and retention of midwives in rural Nigeria.

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Adegoke, A A; Atiyaye, F B; Abubakar, A S; Auta, A; Aboda, A

2015-10-01

scheme within two years, of which 16 (18%) wanted to leave within one year. However, 39% of the midwives (n=34) indicated that they would be happy to continue working even after the scheme has ended. Of these 34 participants, 18 would like to continue working in the same facility where they are now whereas the remaining 16 would like to continue working in the north but not in the facility where they are working currently. Eight themes on job satisfaction and retention emerged from the FGDs conducted with current midwives, whereas six themes emerged from the exit interviews from midwives who have left the scheme. the MSS programme is a short-term solution to increase SBA coverage in rural Nigeria. MSS midwives were dissatisfied with the short term contract, lack of career structure, irregular payment, poor working condition, inadequate supervision and poor accommodation being offered by the programme, which all contribute to poor retention of MSS midwives. IMPLICATIONS FOR POLICY AND PRACTICE: midwives׳ job satisfaction and retention are critical to improving the health of mothers and their newborn. Poor job satisfaction and retention therefore requires improvements in financial and non-financial incentives, health systems, supportive supervision, ensuring job security and a career structure for midwives working in rural health facilities. Initiating effective strategies to motivate and increase the retention of rural health workers is important for Nigeria to achieve the Millennium/Sustainable Development Goals. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Continuous improvement in manufacturing and inspection of fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Domingon, A.; Ruiz, R.

2015-01-01

The manufacturing and inspection process of fuel assemblies in ENUSA is characterized by its robustness acquired over the last thirty years of experience in manufacturing. The reliability of these processes is based on a qualified processes and continuous improvement in the design and upgrading of equipment and optimization of software and manufacturing processes. Additionally, management and quality control systems have been improved in both software and measuring business objectives. this article emphasizes the improvements made over the past five years in management, production and inspection of fuel assemblies. (Author)

Communication Skills of Physicians and Patients’ Satisfaction

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Biglu, Mohammad-Hossein; Nateq, Farnaz; Ghojazadeh, Morteza; Asgharzadeh, Ali

2017-01-01

Background: The communication skills of physicians is an effective step of making effective relationship between doctor and patient. It plays essential role through diagnosis and treatment processes. This current study was performed to investigate the impact of communication skillfulness of physicians on patients’ satisfaction. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was done to determine the impact of communication capability of practitioners on patients’ satisfaction. The DiMatto’s Patient Satisfaction Scale was administered among patients referring to the all 8 specialized clinics of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences. The validity and reliability of Persian translation of questionnaire of DiMatto’s Patient Satisfaction was verified by 10 specialists. The validity of the questionnaire was measured by content and structural analysis, and Cronbach’s alpha coefficients. The data were analyzed by software package of SPSS version 16 using Pearson’s correlation coefficient, U Mann-Whitney, Kruskal-wallis Test, Regression. Results: The study showed that there was a significant correlation between patients’ satisfaction and the communication skills of physicians (devoting the appropriate time for visiting the patients, explaining diagnosis and treatment procedures). In addition, the therapeutic skills of physicians, their friendly manners, respecting the patients’ feelings, and careful examination of patients by physician, revealed a significant correlation with patient satisfaction (P Communication skills of physician play an important role on patients’ satisfaction; therefore, we propose strongly to improve the communication skills of physicians by improving the communication skills through related training courses. PMID:29109665

Communication Skills of Physicians and Patients' Satisfaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Biglu, Mohammad-Hossein; Nateq, Farnaz; Ghojazadeh, Morteza; Asgharzadeh, Ali

2017-09-01

The communication skills of physicians is an effective step of making effective relationship between doctor and patient. It plays essential role through diagnosis and treatment processes. This current study was performed to investigate the impact of communication skillfulness of physicians on patients' satisfaction. A cross-sectional descriptive study was done to determine the impact of communication capability of practitioners on patients' satisfaction. The DiMatto's Patient Satisfaction Scale was administered among patients referring to the all 8 specialized clinics of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences. The validity and reliability of Persian translation of questionnaire of DiMatto's Patient Satisfaction was verified by 10 specialists. The validity of the questionnaire was measured by content and structural analysis, and Cronbach's alpha coefficients. The data were analyzed by software package of SPSS version 16 using Pearson's correlation coefficient, U Mann-Whitney, Kruskal-wallis Test, Regression. The study showed that there was a significant correlation between patients' satisfaction and the communication skills of physicians (devoting the appropriate time for visiting the patients, explaining diagnosis and treatment procedures). In addition, the therapeutic skills of physicians, their friendly manners, respecting the patients' feelings, and careful examination of patients by physician, revealed a significant correlation with patient satisfaction (P Communication skills of physician play an important role on patients' satisfaction; therefore, we propose strongly to improve the communication skills of physicians by improving the communication skills through related training courses.

Measuring Quality Satisfaction with Servqual Model

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Dan Păuna

2012-05-01

Full Text Available The orientation to customer satisfaction is not a recent phenomenon, many very successfulbusinesspeople from the beginning of the 20th century, such as Sir Henry Royce, a name synonymous withRoll – Royce vehicles, stated the first principle regarding customer satisfaction “Our interest in the Roll-Royce cars does not end at the moment when the owner pays for and takes delivery the car. Our interest in thecar never wanes. Our ambition is that every purchaser of the Rolls - Royce car shall continue to be more thansatisfied (Rolls-Royce.” The following paper tries to deal with the important qualities of the concept for themeasuring of the gap between expected costumer services satisfactions, and perceived services like a routinecustomer feedback process, by means of a relatively new model, the Servqual model.

[Planning and application of a valutation methodology in UNI EN ISO 9001:2000 quality system, for the analysis satisfaction level of third-year student University of Bologna, Bachelor of Nursing Course, CRI School of Nursing formative section].

Science.gov (United States)

Bernardi, M G; Scalorbi, Sandra; Burrai, Francesco

2007-01-01

The quality of nursing assistance is closely related to the quality of training. In the certification UNI EN ISO 9001:2000 in 2004 of the Bologna nursing school regarding Planning and performance of theoretical-practical nursing training a continual improvement of the product/service is implicit. A method was therefore devised to evaluate the degree of satisfaction in third-year nursing students in Bologna which demonstrated a medium/high level of satisfaction regarding all teaching-related procedures. By monitoring satisfaction levels , it is possible to identify any critical areas and to implement improvement where needed.

Continued usage of e-learning: Expectations and performance

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Fernando Antonio de Melo Pereira

2015-10-01

Full Text Available The present study aims to investigate the determinants of satisfaction and the resulting continuance intention use in e-learning context. The constructs of decomposed expectancy disconfirmation theory (DEDT are evaluated from the perspective of users of a virtual learning environment (VLE in relation to expectations and perceived performance. An online survey collected responses from 197 students of a public management course in distance mode. Structural equation modeling was operationalized by the method of partial least squares in Smart PLS software. The results showed that there is a relationship between quality, usability, value and value disconfirmation with satisfaction. Likewise, satisfaction proved to be decisive for the continuance intention use. However, there were no significant relationships between quality disconfirmation and usability disconfirmation with satisfaction. Based on the results, is discussed the theoretical and practical implications of the structural model found by the search.

Management of continual improvement for facilities and activities: A structured approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2006-04-01

In recent years there has been an upward trend in the safety and operational performance of nuclear installations. Safe, efficient operation is their goal. Continual improvement of the processes of organizations has led to enhanced safety performance and efficiency benefits such as cost reductions and improved cycle times. Many organizations have experienced significant cost improvement largely by or through better financial management and a common drive to reduce costs brought on by commercial pressures. Without the use of a structured methodology to identify and implement improvements, changes to an organization to reduce costs through cutting staff and activities could eventually fail to produce the desired changes and even have a negative effect on safety and overall performance. The following fundamental principles are considered essential to the effective introduction of structured continual improvement: - Long term commitment from senior management throughout the entire organization; - The implementation in the organization of a process management approach such as that advocated by IAEA Safety Standards, ISO 9001, Malcolm Baldridge National Quality Award and European Foundation for Quality Management Business Excellence model; - The alignment of the processes with the objectives of the organization through the organization's business plan; - The utilization by Management of the process information as an input to managing the organization; - The employment of the information derived from the process performance to identify and prioritize the processes that require improvement; - The active participation of all staff of the organization to using its processes in order to contribute to continual process improvement (CPI). This publication defines a structured approach for continual improvement and focuses on the way an organization can improve its processes. It is recognized that there are many different approaches and methods available in the marketplace to

Determinants of job satisfaction of healthcare professionals in public hospitals in Belgrade, Serbia - cross-sectional analysis

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Kuburović Nina B.

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction. The quality of health care significantly depends on the satisfaction of the employees. Objective. The objective of this study was to establish the level of professional satisfaction of healthcare professionals in state hospitals in Belgrade, Serbia, and to determine and to rank the factors which impact on their satisfaction or dissatisfaction. Method. Professional satisfaction survey was designed and conducted as a cross-sectional study in 2008. Completed questionnaires were returned by 6,595 healthcare professionals from Belgrade’s hospitals. Statistical analysis was performed using the Student’s t-test, χ2 test and ANOVA. Factor analysis was applied in order to define determinants of professional satisfaction, i.e. dissatisfaction. Results. This study showed that the degree of professional satisfaction of Serbian healthcare professionals was low. The main causes of professionals’ dissatisfaction were wages, equipment, the possibility of continuous medical education/training and the opportunities for professional development. Healthcare professionals with university education were more satisfied with all the individual aspects of job satisfaction than those with secondary school and college education. Conclusion. There were significantly more healthcare professionals satisfied with their job among males, older than 60 years, in the age group 50-59 years, with managerial function, and with 30 or more years of service. Development strategy of human resources in the Serbian health care system would significantly improve the professional satisfaction and quality of the provided health care.

The level satisfaction of teachers and motivational factors

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Renata Červ

2012-02-01

Full Text Available RQ: Employee satisfaction is an area that is relevant in every organization and for this reason management has to pay special attention to this area. A satisfied worker brings better results and invests all their knowledge and abilities into their work. Otherwise they will invest only what is required of them that will not bring success to the organization in achieving their goals. Work satisfaction reflects an individual’s emotional experiences in theenvironment that they are working in. Many times management starts paying attention when it is too late. For this reason, measuring employee satisfaction should occur in each organization. This way appropriate actions and decisions can be made to improve current conditions.Purpose: To investigate employee satisfaction, determine the level of satisfaction or dissatisfaction and identify motivational factors. Furthermore, to examine how personal goals of individuals influence their work and to which degree money is a motivator for work.Methods: A descriptive approach was used to examine the the oretical content, interview. An interview was conducted with which data was obtained on employee satisfaction.Results: Employees are satisfied with their work and it gives them a personal challenge, offers satisfaction, a source of income and pleasure. They are motivated by pay, student satisfaction, and successful transference of knowledge to students. Possible dissatisfaction of employees would not influence their effectiveness and work results. They believe that fulfilling their personal goals can influence their satisfaction.Organization: The obtained data will be used by management for improvement. The obtained results will lead management in decision making to increase employee satisfaction.Society: Refresh knowledge from the area of creating employee satisfaction and motivational factors that influences people at work.Originality: The limited number of interview participants and personal acquaintance

Closing the Loop on a Continuous Program Improvement Process

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Booth, Vickie; Booth, Larry

2010-01-01

The WebBSIT, a Bachelor of Science in Information Technology, is a fully online degree offered through a consortium of five University System of Georgia institutions. This paper begins by summarizing the change management system developed for continuous program improvement. Analysis of data should drive improvement, closing the loop. The balance…

Creating a Cycle of Continuous Improvement through Instructional Rounds

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Meyer-Looze, Catherine L.

2015-01-01

Instructional Rounds is a continuous improvement strategy that focuses on the technical core of educational systems as well as educators collaborating side-by-side. Concentrating on collective learning, this process only makes sense within an overall strategy of improvement. This case study examined the Instructional Rounds process in a northern…

Evaluation of patient satisfaction in pediatric dermatology.

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Ahmed, Sarah; Miller, Jonathan; Burrows, James F; Bertha, Ben Khallouq; Rosen, Paul

2017-11-01

There remains a lack of investigation into which factors patients and families value the most in their experience at pediatric dermatology clinics. Most of the current literature on quality improvement in dermatology does not encompass the pediatric population. To determine the drivers that are most predictive of a positive patient experience, we observed the indirect relationship between several factors of the patient experience and their role in patient satisfaction. Patient satisfaction surveys were distributed after their visits to patients at four pediatric dermatology clinics in one children's academic health system. Data were collected and organized into the top 30 survey variables with which patients expressed satisfaction on a 5-point Likert scale. Pearson product-moment correlation coefficients (r) for each variable with regard to "likelihood of your recommending our practice to others" were calculated. A total of 516 families completed patient satisfaction surveys. Analyses of top box scores showed that the strongest predictors of patient satisfaction were the likelihood of recommending care provider (r = .77, P = dermatology. Identifying such variables that shape patients' assessments of their experience can guide future quality improvement plans in the specialty. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Demographic Predictors of Job Satisfaction among Nurses

OpenAIRE

Masoumeh Hasanlo; Mansour Mohajeri; Razzagh Osfori

2017-01-01

Background: The implementation effect of nurses' efficiency improvement law on their job satisfaction is still not clear. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate nurses' job satisfaction after execution of the efficiency improvement law among them. Methods: This analytic study was carried out among 410 clinical nurses selected through a convenient and accessible sampling method and based on the assigned ratio in each of the hospitals. A questionnaire designed in 2 parts of demo...

Job satisfaction of registered dental practitioners.

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Luzzi, L; Spencer, A J; Jones, K; Teusner, D

2005-09-01

This study was designed to measure job satisfaction among registered clinical dentists so as to identify issues which may influence recruitment and retention of dentists in active clinical practice. A questionnaire measuring dimensions of job satisfaction was mailed to a stratified random sample of 80 private and 80 public sector dentists selected from the 1999 Victorian Dental Register. An adjusted response rate of 60 per cent was achieved (n = 87). Analyses showed significant differences (ANOVA; p satisfaction for various dimensions of job satisfaction by gender, age group and practice type. Differences in job satisfaction between male and female dentists related to the personal time dimension. Differences in satisfaction between dentists of different age groups were attributable to six dimensions: relationships with colleagues, relationships with patients, relationships with staff, personal time, community and administrative responsibilities. Differences between levels of satisfaction among private and public dentists related to the autonomy, relationships with patients, pay and resources dimensions. There are various dimensions of job satisfaction that may be pertinent to issues influencing recruitment and retention of dentists. Differences that exist between levels of job satisfaction among private and public sector dentists, between male and female dentists and dentists of different age groups need to be addressed in order to improve recruitment and retention rates of dentists in active clinical practice in different sectors of the dental care system.

Influence of working conditions on job satisfaction in anaesthetists.

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Kinzl, J F; Knotzer, H; Traweger, C; Lederer, W; Heidegger, T; Benzer, A

2005-02-01

We studied job satisfaction, physical health, emotional well-being and working conditions in 125 Austrian and Swiss anaesthetists. Responses to self-reporting questionnaires were evaluated. Dependent variables included job satisfaction, emotional well-being and physical health. Independent variables included age, sex, marital status, position and working conditions as assessed by the Instrument for Stress-related Job Analysis. Control over work shows a strong effect on job satisfaction in anaesthetists, for example influence on handling tasks (P=0.001), time control (P=0.002) and participation (P=0.001), whereas task demands and task-related problems did not have any effect. Anaesthetists in leading positions and specialists reported lower job satisfaction (P=0.012) than did anaesthetists in non-leading positions. Job satisfaction was associated with better physical health (P=0.001) and better emotional well-being (P=0.005). Our results suggest that a high level of job satisfaction in anaesthetists correlates with interesting work demands and the opportunity to contribute skills and ideas. To improve job satisfaction, more attention should be paid to improving working conditions, including control over decision-making, and allowing anaesthetists to have more influence on their own work pace and work schedule.

Improving critical thinking and clinical reasoning with a continuing education course.

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Cruz, Dina Monteiro; Pimenta, Cibele Mattos; Lunney, Margaret

2009-03-01

Continuing education courses related to critical thinking and clinical reasoning are needed to improve the accuracy of diagnosis. This study evaluated a 4-day, 16-hour continuing education course conducted in Brazil.Thirty-nine nurses completed a pretest and a posttest consisting of two written case studies designed to measure the accuracy of nurses' diagnoses. There were significant differences in accuracy from pretest to posttest for case 1 (p = .008) and case 2 (p = .042) and overall (p = .001). Continuing education courses should be implemented to improve the accuracy of nurses' diagnoses.

Customer satisfaction and competencies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gritti, Paola; Foss, Nicolai Juul

We empirically address how customer satisfaction and loyalty in the banking industry may affect profitability. This helps to identify the strategy and competencies necessary to benefit from customer relationships which are important sources for improved performance in the banking. We do......, loyalty is a mediator between financial and not-financial customer value and two sources of customer satisfaction, namely relationships with the front office and the branch, on the one hand, and the products offered, on the other....... this by analyzing data collected on 2,105 customers of 118 branches of one of the biggest banks of an Italian banking group. We find that customer satisfaction impacts loyalty, which in turn has a direct effect on financial and non-financial customer value/total customer value/complex customer value. Moreover...

Job satisfaction: rural versus urban primary health care workers' perception in Ogun State of Nigeria.

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Campbell, P C; Ebuehi, O M

2011-01-01

Job satisfaction implies doing a job one enjoys, doing it well, and being suitably rewarded for one' efforts. Several factors affect job satisfaction. To compare factors influencing job satisfaction amongst rural and urban primary health care workers in southwestern Nigeria. A cross sectional comparative study recruited qualified health workers selected by multi stage sampling technique from rural and urban health facilities in four local government areas (LGAs) of Ogun State in Southwestern Nigeria. Data were collected and analysed using Epi info V 3.5.1 RESULTS: The response rates were 88(88%) and 91(91%) respectively in the rural and urban areas. While urban workers derived satisfaction from availability of career development opportunities, materials and equipment, in their current job, rural workers derived satisfaction from community recognition of their work and improved staff relationship. Major de-motivating factors common to both groups were lack of supportive supervision, client-provider relationship and lack of in-service training. However more rural 74(84.1%) than urban 62(68.1%) health workers would prefer to continue working in their present health facilities (p=0.04). There was a statistically significant difference between the two groups in job satisfaction with respect to tools availability and career development opportunities (pfactors influencing job satisfaction between rural and urban healthcare workers. There is need for human resource policy to be responsive to the diverse needs of health workers particularly at the primary level.

Case manager satisfaction in public health.

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Schutt, Russell K; Fawcett, Jacqueline; Gall, Gail B; Harrow, Brooke; Woodford, Mary Lou

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine correlates of case managers' satisfaction with their work, services, and service network and to identify connections to service performance and service costs. A decentralized public health program that exemplifies the trend toward more diverse clients and networked services. A mixed method design with 34 case managers. As hypothesized, the case managers' experiences with clients and the service network, and their service effectiveness, were associated with their satisfaction with their jobs and the services they provide. Satisfaction was also positively associated with more timely service delivery. These associations were explained in part by case managers' education and training. Case managers can achieve high levels of job and service satisfaction in outreach programs serving a diverse client population in a decentralized service network. Case managers' job and service satisfaction improves with reduced service problems and service delays and when case managers can devise work-arounds for persistent service problems. Using advanced practice nurses (APN) and providing more on-the-job training may increase case manager satisfaction with their jobs and the services they provide. Special efforts may be needed to prevent a decline in job satisfaction with years of experience.

Life satisfaction, ethnicity and neighbourhoods: Is there an effect of neighbourhood ethnic composition on life satisfaction?

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Knies, Gundi; Nandi, Alita; Platt, Lucinda

2016-11-01

Immigrants and ethnic minorities tend to have lower life satisfaction than majority populations. However, current understanding of the drivers of these gaps is limited. Using a rich, nationally representative data set with a large sample of ethnic minorities and matched neighbourhood characteristics, we test whether first and second generation minorities experience lower life satisfaction once accounting for compositional differences and whether, specifically, neighbourhood deprivation impacts their wellbeing. We further investigate whether a larger proportion of own ethnic group in the neighbourhood improves satisfaction. We find life satisfaction is lower among ethnic minorities, and especially for the second generation, even controlling for individual and area characteristics. Neighbourhood concentration of own ethnic group is, however, associated with higher life satisfaction for Black Africans and UK born Indians and Pakistanis. The effect for Black Africans may stem from selection into areas, but findings for Indians and Pakistanis are robust to sensitivity tests. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Patients' satisfaction with healthcare: comparing general practice ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

daprim ogaji

Patients' satisfaction with healthcare services, Osiya et al. ... improving the quality of health care.1, 2 The research on patient satisfaction is affected by a lack of .... Items with inappropriate or complete information were excluded before analyses. ..... the technologies or procedures applied but in the capacity of health ...

Organizational Commitment and Job Satisfaction of Security Operatives in Selected Tertiary Institutions In Kwara State

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alade Y. Saliu

2015-11-01

Full Text Available The prevalence of civil disorder and cultism in higher institutions of learning in Nigeria and the apparent inability of security operatives to stem the tide has continued to be a source of concern to both the Government and Individuals in recent times. This study examines the effect of organisational commitment on job satisfaction among security operatives working in Nigeria universities. In this study a sample of three hundred (300 security operatives were selected from both public and private universities in Kwara State. Data were collected through self-administered questionnaire and analysed through Descriptive, Comparative, Regression analysis and Spearman Rank Correlation. The findings revealed that these security operatives, a positive relationship exists between organisational commitment and job satisfaction with affective commitment having little or no significant relationship and continuance commitment having significant positive relationship. The study also found that the level of affective commitment was significantly lower than the other components. The study thus concludes that there is a significant positive relationship between organisation commitment and job satisfaction amongst the security operatives. Based on the findings, it was recommended that the selected Universities should focus on improving affective and normative commitment among security operatives in order to be able to deal with the problem of high job turnover and poor performance.

Three components of organizational commitment and job satisfaction of hospital nurses in Iran.

Science.gov (United States)

Jahangir, Fridoon; Shokrpour, Nasrin

2009-01-01

To measure the relationship between job satisfaction and the 3 components of organizational commitment. Most of the research conducted in the West has shown a positive relationship between organizational commitment and job satisfaction of nurses; however, the relationship between the components of organizational commitment and job satisfaction is not well established in Iranian samples. This study aimed to investigate the level of organizational commitment and job satisfaction of the hospital nurses in Iran and the interrelationship between the 3 components of commitment and job satisfaction among them. Using the organizational commitment questionnaire developed by Meyer et al (J Appl Psychol. 1993;78:538-551), the 3 components of commitment were measured through a descriptive correlational design. Seven hundred eighty-six licensed nurses working in 12 hospitals participated in the study. One hundred ninety-eight of 220 returned questionnaires were identified as appropriate for the analysis. Affective commitment was positively related to job satisfaction, normative commitment, and experience in nursing, but it was negatively related to continuance commitment. Continuance commitment was negatively related to job satisfaction and affective commitment. Normative commitment was positively related to job satisfaction and affective commitment. The 3 components of commitment are variously related to job satisfaction. Nursing managers should pay attention to different components of commitment variously to promote the appropriate type of commitment needed for specific situation in which they work.

Personal, interpersonal, and organizational influences on student satisfaction with clinical education.

Science.gov (United States)

Stith, J S; Butterfield, W H; Strube, M J; Deusinger, S S; Gillespie, D F

1998-06-01

Understanding the factors that contribute to student satisfaction may lead to improved education in physical therapy. This study tested the extent to which variables in the personal, interpersonal, and organizational domains influence satisfaction with clinical experiences. Physical therapist students (N = 113) in 2 phases of their clinical experiences at one private school participated. A nonexperimental design tested 3 models for predicting overall satisfaction. Students completed 3 surveys and weekly logs during 8-week-long clinical experiences. The survey return rate was 96%. Overall satisfaction with the clinical experience was predicted by life satisfaction, gender, off-site events, on-site events, interaction between negative events and gender, instructor teaching skills, interaction between education phase and gender, variety, and use of selected orientation methods. Overall satisfaction is predicted by variables in all 3 domains. Overall satisfaction was best explained by factors in the interpersonal domain and student gender. Causal research is needed to confirm whether satisfaction can be improved and whether the results apply to other students at other schools. The relationships among satisfaction, performance, later job satisfaction, and career commitment need to be explored further.

Effect of an Emergency Department Fast Track on Press-Ganey Patient Satisfaction Scores

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hwang, Calvin E.

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Mandated patient surveys have become an integral part of Medicare remuneration, putting hundreds of millions of dollars in funding at risk. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS recently announced a patient experience survey for the emergency department (ED. Development of an ED Fast Track, where lower acuity patients are rapidly seen, has been shown to improve many of the metrics that CMS examines. This is the first study examining if ED Fast Track implementation affects Press-Ganey scores of patient satisfaction. Methods: We analyzed returned Press-Ganey questionnaires from all ESI 4 and 5 patients seen 11AM - 11PM, August-December 2011 (pre-fast track, and during the identical hours of fast track, August-December 2012. Raw ordinal scores were converted to continuous scores for paired student t-test analysis. We calculated an odds ratio with 100% satisfaction considered a positive response. Results: An academic ED with 52,000 annual visits had 140 pre-fast track and 85 fast track respondents. Implementation of a fast track significantly increased patient satisfaction with the following: wait times (68% satisfaction to 88%, OR 4.13, 95% CI [2.32-7.33], doctor courtesy (90% to 95%, OR 1.97, 95% CI [1.04-3.73], nurse courtesy (87% to 95%, OR 2.75, 95% CI [1.46-5.15], pain control (79% to 87%, OR 2.13, 95% CI [1.16-3.92], likelihood to recommend (81% to 90%, OR 2.62, 95% CI [1.42-4.83], staff caring (82% to 91%, OR 2.82, 95% CI [1.54-5.19], and staying informed about delays (66% to 83%, OR 3.00, 95% CI [1.65-5.44]. Conclusion: Implementation of an ED Fast Track more than doubled the odds of significant improvements in Press-Ganey patient satisfaction metrics and may play an important role in improving ED performance on CMS benchmarks. [West J Emerg Med. 2015;16(1:34–38.

Predictors of workplace satisfaction for U.S. medical school faculty in an era of change and challenge.

Science.gov (United States)

Bunton, Sarah A; Corrice, April M; Pollart, Susan M; Novielli, Karen D; Williams, Valerie N; Morrison, Leslie A; Mylona, Elza; Fox, Shannon

2012-05-01

To examine the current state of satisfaction with the academic medicine workplace among U.S. medical school faculty and the workplace factors that have the greatest influence on global satisfaction. The authors used data from the 2009 administration of a medical school faculty job satisfaction survey and used descriptive statistics and χ analyses to assess levels of overall satisfaction within faculty subgroups. Multiple regressions used the mean scores of the 18 survey dimensions and demographic variables to predict three global satisfaction measures. The survey was completed by 9,638 full-time faculty from 23 U.S. medical schools. Respondents were mostly satisfied on global satisfaction measures including satisfaction with their department (6,506/9,128; 71.3%) and medical school (5,796/9,124; 63.5%) and whether they would again choose to work at their medical school (5,968/8,506; 70.2%). The survey dimensions predicted global satisfaction well, with the final models explaining 51% to 67% of the variance in the dependent measures. Predictors across models include organization, governance, and transparency; focus of mission; recruitment and retention effectiveness; department relationships; workplace culture; and nature of work. Despite the relatively unpredictable environmental challenges facing medical schools today, leaders have opportunities to influence and improve the workplace satisfaction of their faculty. Examples of opportunities include fostering a culture characterized by open communication and occasions for faculty input, and remaining vigilant regarding factors contributing to faculty burnout. Understanding what drives faculty satisfaction is crucial for medical schools as they continue to seek excellence in all missions and recruit and retain high-quality faculty.

Patient-Physician Communicative Patterns, Physicians’ Job Satisfaction, and Patients’ Satisfaction: The Case of a Hospital in Isfahan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maryam Yaghoubi

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background and purpose:Now-a-days, patient satisfaction is increasingly receiving the attention of health-service providers, which is a necessary step to enhance the quality of health services. The present study aimed at exploring patient-physician communicative patterns, physicians’ job satisfaction, and patients’ satisfaction at Isfahan, Iran. Materials and Methods:This study was a descriptive analytical and cross-sectional survey in the summer of 2010. Simple random sampling was used to select participants. Data were collected through using three self-designed questionnaires on physicians’ job satisfaction, patient-physician relationship patterns (based on Hollander and Szase’ ideas, and patients’ satisfaction. Validity of the questionnaire was checked by a panel of experts. Furthermore, internal consistency reliability of the questionnaires was confirmed by Cronbach’s alpha (α = 0.80. Different dimensions of the job satisfaction questionnaire were salary, supervision, setting, promotion, fringe benefits, and working conditions. Data were analyzed by using SPSS for Windows 13.0 software. Results:The mean score of patient-physician relationship was 63. Therefore, the most frequent patient-physician communication pattern was guidance-cooperation. The mean score of physician’ job satisfaction was 50.2. The mean score of patients’ satisfaction was 86.5. Physicians’ job satisfaction was found to be related to patient-physician communication pattern (P < 0.05. Conclusion:Although patient-physician communication patterns are important, different variable such as patients’ and physicians’ satisfaction influence the patterns. Furthermore, improvement communication process between health care providers can be useful in the increasing patient satisfaction and patient quality of care.

Quality and price--impact on patient satisfaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Pantouvakis, Angelos; Bouranta, Nancy

2014-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to synthesize existing quality-measurement models and applies them to healthcare by combining a Nordic service-quality with an American service performance model. Results are based on a questionnaire survey of 1,298 respondents. Service quality dimensions were derived and related to satisfaction by employing a multinomial logistic model, which allows prediction and service improvement. Qualitative and empirical evidence indicates that customer satisfaction and service quality are multi-dimensional constructs, whose quality components, together with convenience and cost, influence the customer's overall satisfaction. The proposed model identifies important quality and satisfaction issues. It also enables transitions between different responses in different studies to be compared.

Investigating The Effects Of Customer Perceptions Resulted From Online Shopping Sites On Customer Satisfaction

OpenAIRE

Dr. vildan ateş

2017-01-01

Customer satisfaction has an important role providing continuity, profitability of online shopping sites and in the development of customer loyalty. The aim of this study is to determine the effects of customer perceptions arising from online shopping sites’ on customers’ satisfaction and to reveal a customer satisfaction model related to customer perceptions. Firstly, the indicators of customer satisfaction about online shopping sites and the customer perceptions thought...

Job Satisfaction and Relocation Desire among Pediatric Dentists in Puerto Rico.

Science.gov (United States)

Arévalo, Oscar; Saman, Daniel M; Tabares, Miguel; Hernández, Ana; Sanders-Ward, Rebecca

2015-12-01

To determine the levels of satisfaction, license status, and desire to relocate of pediatric dentists in Puerto Rico. Pediatric dentists in Puerto Rico were surveyed via telephone interviews. Data were collected through a 34-item questionnaire that explored satisfaction as related to income, continuing education, professional goals, and participation in the Mi Salud program. Frequencies, chi-square analysis, and Fisher's exact 2-tailed t-test were utilized to determine the relationships between satisfaction and the demographics of the pediatric dentists. Sixty pediatric dentists participated in our survey-77% of the total number of pediatric dentists practicing in Puerto Rico. Overall, 65% of the participating pediatric dentists expressed dissatisfaction. Male pediatric dentists were more dissatisfied than their female colleagues were. Most pediatric dentists participating in Mi Salud expressed dissatisfaction. When asked about whether or not they had considered migrating to the mainland, those who were dissatisfied were more likely to have considered that idea than were those who were satisfied. Overall, 57% of the pediatric dentists comprising our sample had considered relocating to the continental United States. In general, the pediatric dentists who participated in our study expressed dissatisfaction in most areas except when asked about their ability to reach professional goals. Determining the levels of satisfaction of health care providers is important in the maintaining of an adequate workforce. As current levels of dissatisfaction are high, it is important to determine what variables are related to satisfaction so that corrective measures can be taken to ensure that retention rates improve, thereby maintaining an adequate pediatric dental workforce.

Does Privatization Improve Job Satisfaction? The Case of Ghana

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Asiedu, K.F.; Folmer, H.

2007-01-01

This paper analyzes the impacts of privatization in Ghana on the basis of a survey of 300 workers in privatized and state-owned enterprises. The findings indicate a significant positive relationship between privatization and job satisfaction. Whereas monthly wage is an important determinant of job

Does privatization improve job satisfaction? The case of Ghana

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Asiedu, Kofi Fred; Folmer, Henk

2007-01-01

This paper analyzes the impacts of privatization in Ghana on the basis of a survey of 300 workers in privatized and state-owned enterprises. The findings indicate a significant positive relationship between privatization and job satisfaction. Whereas monthly wage is an important determinant of job

Factors affecting allied health faculty job satisfaction: a literature review.

Science.gov (United States)

Romig, Barbara; O'Sullivan Maillet, Julie; Denmark, Robert M

2011-01-01

Evidence in the literature suggests job satisfaction can make a difference in keeping qualified workers on the job, but little research has been conducted focusing specifically on allied health faculty. In order to attract and retain top quality faculty, colleges and universities should understand the variables impacting faculty satisfaction and develop a plan to enhance satisfaction. An integrative literature review (CINHAL, ERIC, Journal of Allied Health, Chronicle of Higher Education, Research in Higher Education, and current books on job satisfaction) of faculty job satisfaction and dissatisfaction produced a variety of publications presenting the key determinants of job satisfaction by allied health faculty in the United States. The purpose of the analysis was to examine the various factors that influence job satisfaction, especially by allied health faculty, in institutions of higher education in the U.S. The procedure used for this analysis consisted of reviewing allied health and higher education faculty studies to identify factors influencing job satisfaction, research questions, sample size reported, instruments used for measurement of job satisfaction, and job satisfaction results. While the theoretical models of allied health and higher education faculty job satisfaction exist separately in the literature, their remarkable similarities permit the prospect of a contemporary framework of the essential components of job satisfaction. Potential opportunities for continuing research on the personal and professional variables impacting job satisfaction of allied health faculty and similar disciplines are presented.

Physician satisfaction with clinical laboratory services: a College of American Pathologists Q-probes study of 138 institutions.

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, Bruce A; Bekeris, Leonas G; Nakhleh, Raouf E; Walsh, Molly K; Valenstein, Paul N

2009-01-01

Monitoring customer satisfaction is a valuable component of a laboratory quality improvement program. To survey the level of physician satisfaction with hospital clinical laboratory services. Participating institutions provided demographic and practice information and survey results of physician satisfaction with defined aspects of clinical laboratory services, rated on a scale of 1 (poor) to 5 (excellent). One hundred thirty-eight institutions participated in this study and submitted a total of 4329 physician surveys. The overall satisfaction score for all institutions ranged from 2.9 to 5.0. The median overall score for all participants was 4.1 (10th percentile, 3.6; 90th percentile, 4.5). Physicians were most satisfied with the quality/reliability of results and staff courtesy, with median values of excellent or good ratings of 89.9%. Of the 5 service categories that received the lowest percentage values of excellent/good ratings (combined scores of 4 and 5), 4 were related to turnaround time for inpatient stat, outpatient stat, routine, and esoteric tests. Surveys from half of the participating laboratories reported that 96% to 100% of physicians would recommend the laboratory to other physicians. The category most frequently selected as the most important category of laboratory services was quality/reliability of results (31.7%). There continues to be a high level of physician satisfaction and loyalty with clinical laboratory services. Test turnaround times are persistent categories of dissatisfaction and present opportunities for improvement.

Applying PPM to ERP Maintenance and Continuous Improvement Initiatives

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

El-Tal, Nada Maria; Fonnesbæk, Majbrit; Kræmmergaard, Pernille

2006-01-01

to gain business benefits from the systems. However the ERP literature on how to do this is limited. The purpose of this article is to explore how Project Portfolio Management (PPM) from the Research and Development (R&D) literature can be applied to an ERP second wave context, when companies...... are to prioritize and select maintenance and continuous improvement initiatives. This is done by reviewing the existing literature in the fields of PPM from R&D literature and then by reviewing the existing literature about maintenance and improvement initiatives in the ERP literature, after which the two...... are compared and discussed using three case-studies. The paper contributes with a discussion on how PPM from R&D can be applied to maintenance and continuous improvement initiatives in the second wave of ERP. The paper ends with arguing that emphasis needs to be given to this field, since a conscious...

Continuous improvement of the BNFL transport integrated management system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hale, J.A.

1998-01-01

The integrated Management System of BNFL Transport and Pacific Nuclear Transport Limited (PNTL) is subject to continuous improvement by the application of established improvement techniques adopted by BNFL. The technique currently being used is the application of a Total Quality Management (TQM) philosophy, involving the identification of key processes, benchmarking against existing measures, initiating various improvement projects and applying process changes within the Company. The measurement technique being used is based upon the European Foundation for Quality Management Model (EFQM). A major initiative was started in 1996 to include the requirements of the Environmental Management Systems standard ISO 14001 within the existing integrated management system. This resulted in additional activities added to the system, modification to some existing activities and additional training for personnel. The system was audited by a third party certification organisation, Lloyds Register Quality Assurance (LRQA), during 1997. This paper describes the arrangements to review and update the integrated management system of BNFL Transport and PNTL to include the requirements of the environmental standard ISO 14001 and it also discusses the continuous improvement process adopted by BNFL Transport. (authors)

Patient and environmental service employee satisfaction of using germicidal bleach wipes for patient room cleaning.

Science.gov (United States)

Aronhalt, Kimberly C; McManus, James; Orenstein, Robert; Faller, Rebecca; Link, Mary

2013-01-01

More healthcare institutions are using bleach products which are sporicidal to reduce Clostridium difficile infection (CDI). There may be patient and employee concerns about the appearance of bleach residue left on surfaces, odors, and respiratory tract irritation. The intervention used bleach wipes for daily and terminal patient room cleaning to reduce transmission of CDI and was implemented on patient care units with a relatively high incidence of CDI. Both patients and Environmental Services (ES) staff were surveyed to assess their satisfaction of the bleach wipe product used during room cleaning. Patients (n = 94) (91%) continued to be very satisfied with how well their rooms were cleaned every day. Bleach wipes were well tolerated by patients (n = 44) (100%) surveyed on the medical units and less tolerated by patients (n = 50) (22%) on the hematology-oncology units. ES staff (6) reported less satisfaction and more respiratory irritation from using the bleach wipes; however, later their satisfaction improved. © 2012 National Association for Healthcare Quality.

The soul of the machine: continual improvement in ISO 14001

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Brouwer, M.A.C.; van Koppen, C.S.A.

2008-01-01

Continual improvement is a key component of ISO 14001, but in contrast to most other specifications in the standard, it is difficult to assess. Based on interviews with 19 certified companies in the chemical, food, and environmental services sectors, this article explores the dynamics of continual

The soul of the machine: continual improvement in ISO 14001.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Brouwer, M.A.C.; Koppen, van C.S.A.

2008-01-01

Continual improvement is a key component of ISO 14001, but in contrast to most other specifications in the standard, it is difficult to assess. Based on interviews with 19 certified companies in the chemical, food, and environmental services sectors, this article explores the dynamics of continual

Quantitative research versus quality assurance, quality improvement, total quality management, and continuous quality improvement.

Science.gov (United States)

Vogelsang, J

1999-04-01

The purpose of this report is to provide a review of the scientific method used in the quantitative research studies for consumers, evaluators, and applied nurse researchers. The fundamental characteristics of the problem-solving/ performance-improvement processes of quality assurance, quality improvement, total quality management, and continuous quality improvement are described. Research is compared with these processes, and is followed by a discussion about the publication of quantitative research findings.

An explanatory model of nurse practitioner job satisfaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Koelbel, P W; Fuller, S G; Misener, T R

1991-01-01

Job satisfaction influences employee retention, worker productivity, and performance quality. To retain qualified nurse practitioners (NPs), health administrators must identify sources of job satisfaction and dissatisfaction. Herzberg's dual-factor theory of job satisfaction addresses extrinsic and intrinsic work-related factors. Expansion of the model to include global job satisfaction and individual differences provided a broad framework for the assessment of nurse practitioner job satisfaction. The expanded model was used to analyze the job satisfaction of 132 NPs registered with the South Carolina State Board of Nursing in 1988 (final response rate = 90%). Participants completed the Index of Job Satisfaction (IJS), the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire-Short Form (MSQ-SF), and the Personal and Work Background Questionnaire (PWBQ). Although the NPs were moderately satisfied with their overall jobs, extrinsic factors were found to be major sources of dissatisfaction. The optimal combination of variables predicted by regression analysis to influence global job satisfaction were age, number of children, urban locations, achievement, company policies and practices, creativity, independence, and compensation. Implications for health administrators to improve the work environments of NPs are discussed.

Patient perspectives of patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) and methods for improving pain control and patient satisfaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Patak, Lance S; Tait, Alan R; Mirafzali, Leela; Morris, Michelle; Dasgupta, Sunavo; Brummett, Chad M

2013-01-01

This study aimed to (1) identify patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) attributes that negatively impact patient satisfaction and ability to control pain while using PCA and (2) obtain data on patient perceptions of new PCA design features. We conducted a prospective survey study of postoperative pain control among patients using a PCA device. The survey was designed to evaluate patient satisfaction with pain control, understanding of PCA, difficulties using PCA, lockout-period management, and evaluation of new PCA design features. A total of 350 eligible patients completed the survey (91%). Patients who had difficulties using PCA were less satisfied (P PCA. Forty-nine percent of patients reported not knowing if they would receive medicine when they pushed the PCA button, and of these, 22% believed that this uncertainty made their pain worse. The majority of patients preferred the proposed PCA design features for easier use, including a light on the button, making it easier to find (57%), and a PCA button that vibrates (55%) or lights up (70%), alerting the patient that the PCA pump is able to deliver more medicine. A majority of patients, irrespective of their satisfaction with PCA, preferred a new PCA design. Certain attributes of current PCA technology may negatively impact patient experience, and modifications could potentially address these concerns and improve patient outcomes.

Explanation of Psychological Capital Effects on Improvement of Farmers’ Job Satisfaction of the Ardabil County

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vakil Heidari sraban

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Positive Psychological Capital is defined as the positive and developmental state of an individual as characterized by high self-efficacy, optimism, hope and resiliency. The main purpose of this paper is to explain the psychological capital effects on improvement of village farmer’s job satisfactions in the Ardabil County. The study sample consists of farmers in the Ardabil Province and 380 people were selected by convenience sampling. The sample size was determined based on Cochran's formula and the required data was collected through questionnaires. A questionnaire was used for data collection. The questionnaires face and content validity were confirmed by professors and experts, and its reliability was confirmed based on Cronbach's alpha (0.71-0.82. For data analysis, the SPSS software was used. The results of Pearson correlation test showed that there was a significant correlation between all research variables and job satisfactions with the reliability of %95. Moreover, the variables of optimism, resiliency and self-efficacy contained %41 of dependent variables in linear multiple regression test. Finally, according to the results of analysis, practical suggestions are presented.

From Continuous Improvement to Organisational Learning: Developmental Theory.

Science.gov (United States)

Murray, Peter; Chapman, Ross

2003-01-01

Explores continuous improvement methods, which underlie total quality management, finding barriers to implementation in practice that are related to a one-dimensional approach. Suggests a multiple, unbounded learning cycle, a holistic approach that includes adaptive learning, learning styles, generative learning, and capability development.…

Studying Implementation within a Continuous Continuous-Improvement Process: What Happens When We Design with Adaptations in Mind?

Science.gov (United States)

Tichnor-Wagner, Ariel; Allen, Danielle; Socol, Allison Rose; Cohen-Vogel, Lora; Rutledge, Stacey A.; Xing, Qi W.

2018-01-01

Background/Context: This study examines the implementation of an academic and social-emotional learning innovation called Personalization for Academic and Social-Emotional Learning, or PASL. The innovation was designed, tested, and implemented using a continuous continuous-improvement model. The model emphasized a top-and-bottom process in which…

Does Finnish hospital staff job satisfaction vary across occupational groups?

Science.gov (United States)

Kvist, Tarja; Mäntynen, Raija; Vehviläinen-Julkunen, Katri

2013-10-02

Job satisfaction of staff is an essential outcome variable in research when describing the work environment of successful hospitals. Numerous studies have evaluated the topic, but few previous studies have assessed the job satisfaction of all staff in hospital settings. It is important to discover if there are any unsatisfied groups of people working in hospitals, the aspects they are unsatisfied with and why. The aim of this study was to evaluate job satisfaction of all staff working at a Finnish university hospital, identify differences in job satisfaction between staff groups, and explore the relationship between their self-evaluated quality of work and job satisfaction. Data were collected from 1424 employees of the hospital using the web-based Kuopio University Job Satisfaction Scale survey instrument in autumn 2010. The research data were analysed by using SPSS 19.0 for Windows. Frequency and percentage distributions, as well as mean values, were used to describe the data. A non-parametric test (Kruskal-Wallis test) was used to determine the significance of differences in scores between different groups of staff members and between quality evaluations. The overall job satisfaction of the employees was good. They rated both motivating factors of their work and work welfare as excellent. The areas causing most dissatisfaction were work demands and participation in decision making. Physicians formed the most satisfied group, nurses and maintenance staff were the least satisfied, and office and administrative staff were fairly satisfied. Staff who rated the quality of work in their units as high usually also considered their job satisfaction to be excellent. Every staff member has an influence on job satisfaction in her/his unit. A culture of participation should be developed and maintained in the units and the whole hospital to ensure that all staff feel they play important roles in the hospital. A university hospital is a complex, continuously changing work

Does Finnish hospital staff job satisfaction vary across occupational groups?

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

a complex, continuously changing work environment. Managers of the hospital should continuously evaluate job satisfaction and quickly react to the results gained. PMID:24088218

Improving Our Odds: Success through Continuous Risk Management

Science.gov (United States)

Greenhalgh, Phillip O.

2009-01-01

Launching a rocket, running a business, driving to work and even day-to-day living all involve some degree of risk. Risk is ever present yet not always recognized, adequately assessed and appropriately mitigated. Identification, assessment and mitigation of risk are elements of the risk management component of the "continuous improvement" way of life that has become a hallmark of successful and progressive enterprises. While the application of risk management techniques to provide continuous improvement may be detailed and extensive, the philosophy, ideals and tools can be beneficially applied to all situations. Experiences with the use of risk identification, assessment and mitigation techniques for complex systems and processes are described. System safety efforts and tools used to examine potential risks of the Ares I First Stage of NASA s new Constellation Crew Launch Vehicle (CLV) presently being designed are noted as examples. Recommendations from lessons learned are provided for the application of risk management during the development of new systems as well as for the improvement of existing systems. Lessons learned and suggestions given are also examined for applicability to simple systems, uncomplicated processes and routine personal daily tasks. This paper informs the reader of varied uses of risk management efforts and techniques to identify, assess and mitigate risk for improvement of products, success of business, protection of people and enhancement of personal life.

Associations between parents' satisfaction with provider communication and HPV vaccination behaviors.

Science.gov (United States)

Kornides, Melanie L; Fontenot, Holly B; McRee, Annie-Laurie; Panozzo, Catherine A; Gilkey, Melissa B

2018-05-03

Despite increasing awareness of the importance of a provider recommendation for HPV vaccine, the U.S. has yet to achieve the Healthy people 2020 goal of 80% series completion among adolescents. This failure indicates a need for further examination of the modifiable influences on parents' decision-making. Healthcare providers can influence parents' HPV vaccination decision-making, but little is known about parents' perspectives on the counseling they receive. We sought to assess U.S. parents' satisfaction with provider communication about HPV vaccine and associations with vaccination behaviors. Parents of 11-to-17-year-old adolescents who discussed HPV vaccination with a healthcare provider at least once (n = 795) completed our online survey in Fall 2016. We assessed their satisfaction with the discussion using the HPV Vaccine Communication Satisfaction Scale (α = 0.94). We examined associations between satisfaction (categorized as low, moderate, or high), and three vaccination behaviors: refusal/delay, series initiation (≥1 dose), and continuation (≥2 doses among initiators) using multivariable logistic regression. Most parents reported high (36%) or moderate (38%) satisfaction with provider communication about HPV vaccination; fewer reported low (26%) satisfaction. Moderately satisfied parents (vs. low) had lower odds of refusal/delay (aOR = 0.59, 95% CI: 0.38-0.89), and higher odds of initiation (aOR = 1.71, 95% CI:1.15-2.55) and continuation (aOR = 2.05, 95% CI: 1.24-3.40). The associations were stronger for highly satisfied parents (refusal/delay aOR = 0.45, 95% CI: 0.29-0.70, initiation aOR = 3.59, 95% CI: 2.23-5.78, and continuation aOR = 4.08, 95% CI: 2.38-7.01). Our study suggests that parent satisfaction with provider communication may play an important role in HPV vaccination decision-making. Yet, communication satisfaction has been largely unexamined in the HPV-vaccine literature to date. We introduce a brief, 7-item

Matrix Wings: Continuous Process Improvement an Operator Can Love

Science.gov (United States)

2016-09-01

key processes in our normal operations. In addition to the almost inevitable resistance to change, one of the points of pushback is that members of...Fall 2016 | 9 Matrix Wings Continuous Process Improvement an Operator Can Love Dr. A. J. Briding, Colonel, USAF, Retired Disclaimer: The views and...Operations for the 21st Century (AFSO21), the latest comprehensive effort at finding the right ap- proach for implementing a continuous process

Patient Satisfaction Measurement in Occupational and Environmental Medicine Practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Drury, David L; Adamo, Philip; Cloeren, Marianne; Hegmann, Kurt T; Martin, Douglas W; Levine, Michael J; Olson, Shawn M; Pransky, Glenn S; Tacci, James A; Thiese, Matthew

2018-05-01

: High patient satisfaction is a desirable goal in medical care. Patient satisfaction measures are increasingly used to evaluate and improve quality in all types of medical practices. However, the unique aspects of occupational and environmental medicine (OEM) practice require development of OEM-specific measures and thoughtful interpretation of results. The American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine has developed and recommends a set of specific questions to measure patient satisfaction in OEM, designed to meet anticipated regulatory requirements, facilitate quality improvement of participating OEM practices, facilitate case-management review, and offer fair and accurate assessment of OEM physicians.

Impact of imaging room environment: staff job stress and satisfaction, patient satisfaction, and willingness to recommend.

Science.gov (United States)

Quan, Xiaobo; Joseph, Anjali; Ensign, Janet C

2012-01-01

The built environment significantly affects the healthcare experiences of patients and staff. Healthcare administrators and building designers face the opportunity and challenge of improving healthcare experience and satisfaction through better environmental design. The purpose of the study was to evaluate how a novel environmental intervention for imaging rooms, which integrated multiple elements of healing environments including positive distractions and personal control over environment, affects the perceptions and satisfactions of its primary users-patients and staff. Anonymous questionnaire surveys were conducted to compare patient and staff perceptions of the physical environment, satisfaction, and stress in two types of imaging rooms: imaging rooms with the intervention installed (intervention rooms) and traditionally designed rooms without the intervention (comparison rooms). Imaging technologists and patients perceived the intervention rooms to be significantly more pleasant-looking. Patients in the intervention rooms reported significantly higher levels of environmental control and were significantly more willing to recommend the intervention rooms to others. The environmental intervention was effective in improving certain aspects of the imaging environment: pleasantness and environmental control. Further improvement of the imaging environment is needed to address problematic areas such as noise.

RFID Continuance Usage Intention in Health Care Industry.

Science.gov (United States)

Iranmanesh, Mohammad; Zailani, Suhaiza; Nikbin, Davoud

Radio-frequency identification (RFID) has been proved to be an effective tool both for improving operational efficiency and for gaining competitive advantage in the health care industry despite its relatively low-usage rate in hospitals. The sustained use of RFID by health care professionals will promote its development in the long term. This study evaluates the acceptance continuance of RFID among health care professionals through technology continuance theory (TCT). Data were collected from 178 medical professionals in Malaysia and were then analyzed using the partial least squares technique. The analysis showed that the TCT model provided not only a thorough understanding of the continuance behavior of health care professionals toward RFID but also the attitudes, satisfaction, and perceived usefulness of professionals toward it. The results of this study are expected to assist policy makers and managers in the health care industry in implementing the RFID technology in hospitals by understanding the determinants of continuance of RFID usage intention.

Patient Satisfaction in Obstetrics and Gynecology: Individualized Patient-centered Communication

OpenAIRE

John Yeh; Eryn E. Nagel

2010-01-01

Background Patient satisfaction is becoming an increasingly prevalent topic in medicine, but little is known about patient satisfaction in women's health and other specialties. We review current methods of improving patient satisfaction in the field of obstetrics and gynecology with the intent to increase patient satisfaction even further by enhancing and combining previously used strategies. Methods A search from inception to June 2010 for electronic literature was performed using Medline. T...

Evaluation of Patients' Satisfaction with Services Accessed under ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Background: The evaluation of patient satisfaction provides an indicator of quality of care and contributes to strategies towards improvement of healthcare delivery. Objective: To assess patient satisfaction with services accessed under the National Health Insurance Scheme at a tertiary health facility in North central, Nigeria.

Using a multimedia presentation to improve patient understanding and satisfaction with informed consent for minimally invasive vascular procedures.

Science.gov (United States)

Bowers, N; Eisenberg, E; Montbriand, J; Jaskolka, J; Roche-Nagle, G

2017-02-01

As vascular procedures become more complex, patient understanding of their treatment(s) can become more difficult. We wished to evaluate the utility of multimedia presentations (MPs) to improve patient understanding of their vascular interventions. Patients undergoing endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR), peripheral angioplasty, Hickman catheter and peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) insertion were randomized into a control group receiving traditional verbal consent, and a MP group that were shown a two minute simplified video of their procedure on an iPad™ computer in addition to the traditional verbal consent. After obtaining consent, all patients completed a questionnaire assessing their comprehension of the procedure, and satisfaction with the consent process. Satisfaction was rated on a 5 point Likert scale with 5 being 'very helpful' in understanding the procedure. Ninety-three patients were recruited for this study, 62% of which were male. The intervention significantly increased total comprehension in all procedure types controlling for procedure type (multimedia vs. control; F = 9.14, P = .003). A second ANOVA showed there was a significant main effect by intervention (F = 44.06, p consent process to be helpful in patient understanding and that there is improved satisfaction. Given the rapid rate of innovation in vascular interventions, increased regular use of MPs to help patients understand their procedures would be beneficial in the care of patients undergoing vascular interventions. Copyright © 2015 Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (Scottish charity number SC005317) and Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Factors associated with primary care residents' satisfaction with their training.

Science.gov (United States)

Randall, C S; Bergus, G R; Schlechte, J A; McGuinness, G; Mueller, C W

1997-01-01

Satisfaction is known to impact work performance, learning, recruitment, and retention. This study identifies the factors associated with primary care residents' satisfaction with their training. We used a cross-sectional survey based on the Price-Mueller model of job satisfaction. The model included 14 job characteristics, four personal characteristics, and four demographic factors. Data were collected in February and March 1996 from residents in three primary care training programs (family practice, pediatrics, and internal medicine) at a large academic medical center. The same standardized, self-administered questionnaires were used in all three departments. Seventy-five percent (n = 119) of the residents returned questionnaires. Five job characteristics were positively associated with resident satisfaction: continuity of care, autonomy, collegiality, work that encourages professional growth, and work group loyalty. Role conflict, a sixth job characteristic, was negatively associated with satisfaction. The personal characteristic of having an optimistic outlook on life was also positively associated with satisfaction. The model explained 66% of the variation in self-reported satisfaction. The satisfaction of the residents was significantly associated with six job characteristics and one personal factor. Interventions based on these job characteristics may increase resident satisfaction and may lead to better patient outcomes, better work performance, greater patient satisfaction, and more success in recruiting top students into a residency.

Job satisfaction among health care workers in Serbia.

Science.gov (United States)

Korac, Vesna; Vasic, Milena; Krstic, Maja; Markovic, Roberta

2010-01-01

According to literature review there seems to be a general agreement that job satisfaction among doctors is declining. This study's objective was to identify job satisfaction levels and their causes among health care workers, employed at the public health institutions. A job satisfaction survey of health care workers was therefore carried out in 197 public health centers in the Republic of Serbia, 157 primary health care centers and 40 general hospitals, in 2008. A satisfaction questionnaire, containing 24 items was used to investigate job satisfaction. Respondents (23.259), working in primary health care, indicated an average job satisfaction level of 3.08 +/- 0.67 on a 5-point scale. Respondents (11.302), working in general hospitals, indicated a lower average job satisfaction level of 2.96 +/- 0.63. The reported level of satisfaction was the highest for their opportunities to use their abilities, cooperation with colleagues and fellow workers, and freedom to choose their own methods of work. Doctors, working in primary health care centers, reported higher level of job satisfaction than hospital doctors. Overall, job satisfaction of doctors and nurses is relatively low. Increased pay rate and more adequate equipment, as well as possibilities for education and career improvement, would enhance their job satisfaction.

Building a Culture of Continuous Quality Improvement in an Academic Radiology Department.

Science.gov (United States)

Katzman, Gregory L; Paushter, David M

2016-04-01

As we enter a new era of health care in the United States, radiologists must be adequately prepared to prove, and continually improve, our value to our customers. This goal can be achieved in large part by providing high-quality services. Although quality efforts on the national and international levels provide a framework for improving radiologic quality, some of the greatest opportunities for quality improvement can be found at the departmental level, through the implementation of total quality management programs. Establishing such a program requires not only strong leadership and employee engagement, but also a firm understanding of the multiple total quality management tools and continuous quality improvement strategies available. In this article, we discuss key tools and strategies required to build a culture of continuous quality improvement in an academic department, based on our experience. Copyright © 2016 American College of Radiology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

CONTINUOUS QUALITY IMPROVEMENT (CQI FRAMEWORK: A CASE OF INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tooba Sikander

2017-06-01

Full Text Available This paper aims to present an educational framework for outcomes based continuous quality improvement. Well defined program outcomes, program educational objectives and assessment process have been developed to ensure graduates’ outcomes achievement. Direct and indirect tools have been used for assessment process. Course evaluation surveys, alumni surveys, and employer surveys have been deployed for indirect outcome assessment. Exams, quizzes, assignments and projects, on the other hand, have been used for direct outcome assessment. In developed framework, the educational processes committees and facilities committees have been integrated to continuously evaluate and monitor the educational processes. Furthermore, program outcomes and course learning outcomes are proposed to be evaluated and continuously monitored by programs goals committee and continuous course improvement committee respectively. Forms and procedures have been developed to assess student outcomes.

A social work study on job satisfaction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammad Reza Iravani

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Job satisfaction plays an important role on having sustainable growth in any business units. When an unsatisfied employee leaves, the business unit not only loses an employee but also it loses an intangible asset. Therefore, it is necessary to evaluate overall job satisfaction occasionally and provide some guidelines for improving work conditions. The proposed study of this paper uses five questionnaires, which are associated with job motivation, job satisfaction and organizational commitment. We have selected 25 sample employees who work for the case study of this research located in west region on Iran. Using some statistical tests we analyze the data and the preliminary results indicate that employee have an average job satisfaction. The results indicate that there are some positive relationships between job satisfaction and other factors including wage increase, psychological needs, physical equipments, entertainment equipment and work-team.

Predictors of prenatal care satisfaction among pregnant women in American Samoa.

Science.gov (United States)

Adeyinka, Oluwaseyi; Jukic, Anne Marie; McGarvey, Stephen T; Muasau-Howard, Bethel T; Faiai, Mata'uitafa; Hawley, Nicola L

2017-11-16

Pregnant women in American Samoa have a high risk of complications due to overweight and obesity. Prenatal care can mitigate the risk, however many women do not seek adequate care during pregnancy. Low utilization of prenatal care may stem from low levels of satisfaction with services offered. Our objective was to identify predictors of prenatal care satisfaction in American Samoa. A structured survey was distributed to 165 pregnant women receiving prenatal care at the Lyndon B Johnson Tropical Medical Center, Pago Pago. Women self-reported demographic characteristics, pregnancy history, and satisfaction with prenatal care. Domains of satisfaction were extracted using principal components analysis. Scores were summed across each domain. Linear regression was used to examine associations between maternal characteristics and the summed scores within individual domains and for overall satisfaction. Three domains of satisfaction were identified: satisfaction with clinic services, clinic accessibility, and physician interactions. Waiting ≥ 2 h to see the doctor negatively impacted satisfaction with clinic services, clinic accessibility, and overall satisfaction. Living > 20 min from the clinic was associated with lower clinic accessibility, physician interactions, and overall satisfaction. Women who were employed/on maternity leave had lower scores for physician interactions compared with unemployed women/students. Women who did not attend all their appointments had lower overall satisfaction scores. Satisfaction with clinic services, clinic accessibility and physician interactions are important contributors to prenatal care satisfaction. To improve patient satisfaction prenatal care clinics should focus on making it easier for women to reach clinics, improving waiting times, and increasing time with providers.

A Longitudinal Study of Determinants of Career Satisfaction in Medical Students

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Virginia A. Reed, PhD

2004-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract: Context: There is evidence of significant career dissatisfaction among practicing physicians and those considering medicine as a profession. Most research on career satisfaction has examined practicing physicians. This study was undertaken to look at determinants of satisfaction in those at the earliest stage of their medical careers – medical students. Methods: As part of a larger study, students comprising one class at the University of Washington School of Medicine were surveyed three times over the course of their medical education. For the present study we examined measures specifically related to determinants of career satisfaction. Findings: Over time, students’ sense of the importance of most measured determinants of satisfaction showed significant change, the majority of which were in the direction of decreased importance. However, most of the change was relative. That is, factors that students considered to be most important at the start of medical school continued to be most important throughout the educational experience and those factors students considered to be least important at Year 1 continued to be least important at Years 2 and 4. Discussion: These findings have implications for medical education, a time when students are forming expectations that will impact their career satisfaction. In addition to information on career satisfaction, students should understand the professional values of medicine, their own values and expectations, current practice patterns, economics, and the role of advocacy.

Effects of Public Relations Activities on Customer Satisfaction in the University Libraries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ayşe Gedikçi, Öndoğan

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Like all organizations in the process of globalization, university libraries also have focused on their customers much more in order to continue their existence and they have diversified their services in order to increase customer satisfaction. Customer satisfaction emerges as a result of integration of many interdependent components. In this study, public relations works, the most important factor affecting the customer satisfaction, are handled and it is tried to determine the effect of public relations works conducted at Selcuk University Central Library on the customer satisfaction. In the study used descriptive methods, data were obtained from all customer groups who came to the Central Library through questionnaire. It was come out that all customer groups who came to the Central Library were satisfied with public relations works related to the library's physical elements and service elements, but they were not content with public relations works conducted out of the organization in order to improve the customer relations. In consequence of the research, it was observed that the variable that customers gives more importance is the physical elements variable ( =3,86. The most intense relationship between variables is between service element with the physical elements (r=0,667, p<0,01 and public relations elements (r=0,642, p<0,0.

Organizational culture associated with provider satisfaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Scammon, Debra L; Tabler, Jennifer; Brunisholz, Kimberly; Gren, Lisa H; Kim, Jaewhan; Tomoaia-Cotisel, Andrada; Day, Julie; Farrell, Timothy W; Waitzman, Norman J; Magill, Michael K

2014-01-01

Organizational culture is key to the successful implementation of major improvement strategies. Transformation to a patient-centered medical home (PCHM) is such an improvement strategy, requiring a shift from provider-centric care to team-based care. Because this shift may impact provider satisfaction, it is important to understand the relationship between provider satisfaction and organizational culture, specifically in the context of practices that have transformed to a PCMH model. This was a cross-sectional study of surveys conducted in 2011 among providers and staff in 10 primary care clinics implementing their version of a PCMH: Care by Design. Measures included the Organizational Culture Assessment Instrument and the American Medical Group Association provider satisfaction survey. Providers were most satisfied with quality of care (mean, 4.14; scale of 1-5) and interactions with patients (mean, 4.12) and were least satisfied with time spent working (mean, 3.47), paperwork (mean, 3.45), and compensation (mean, 3.35). Culture profiles differed across clinics, with family/clan and hierarchical cultures the most common. Significant correlations (P ≤ .05) between provider satisfaction and clinic culture archetypes included family/clan culture negatively correlated with administrative work; entrepreneurial culture positively correlated with the Time Spent Working dimension; market/rational culture positively correlated with how practices were facing economic and strategic challenges; and hierarchical culture negatively correlated with the Relationships with Staff and Resource dimensions. Provider satisfaction is an important metric for assessing experiences with features of a PCMH model. Identification of clinic-specific culture archetypes and archetype associations with provider satisfaction can help inform practice redesign. Attention to effective methods for changing organizational culture is recommended.

Financial satisfaction and financial stressors in marital satisfaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Archuleta, Kristy L; Britt, Sonya L; Tonn, Teresa J; Grable, John E

2011-04-01

Using a sample of 310 married respondents from one U.S. Midwestern state, a test was conducted to examine the association of financial satisfaction and financial stressors in a spouse's decision to stay married to the same person or leave the relationship. The role of demographic and socioeconomic variables, religiosity, psychological constructs, financial satisfaction, and financial stressors as factors influencing marital satisfaction was tested. Financial stressors were measured using a list of financial stressors adapted from the literature. Financial satisfaction was measured with a one-item scale. The Kansas Marital Satisfaction Scale was used as a validation tool to assess whether individuals would marry or not marry again. Religiosity and financial satisfaction were positively associated with marital satisfaction. A negative interaction between financial satisfaction and financial stressors was also noted. Findings suggest that respondents who are financially satisfied tend to be more stable in their marriages.

Continuous improvement program in ENUSA: personnel participation and six sigma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Montes Navarro, J.

1998-01-01

Since the beginning of its activities ENUSA has been a company committed with the quality of its products and services. To talk about quality is something inherent in ENUSA's daily work ENUSA's position in the market depends on its capacity to satisfy customers expectations with the best products and services, as a result of an efficient management of its processes. The word quality in its broadest sense, means that any activity can be improved. ENUSA has implemented a continuous improvement program as part of its company change project. That program consists of six basic steps: 1.- Managers commitment. 2.- Organization for continuous improvement. 3.- Quality goals. 4.- Training and informing. 5.- Personnel participation. 6.- Methodology. ENUSA has introduced these six steps during 1997-98 period. It is important to point out the commitment degree at all the company levels, focusing the organization to the continuous improvement in a multifunctional way, following the business processes: - Board of Directors - Quality Steering Committee - Quality Improvement Groups (GMC) - Quality Operative Groups (GOC) - Suggestions Mailboxes The following GMC's have been set up and are operative. - Manufacturing GMC - Supplies GMC - Installation GMC - Design GMC - Quality System GM - Projects GMC - Administrative GMC These GMC's have established thirty-six Quality Operative Groups which carry out the improvement projects. The methodology chosen by ENUSA is known as ''SIX SIGMA''. Six sigma programs have proved their huge power in big companies as MOTOROLA and, recently, GE being recognized in all the quality fields. It is, by itself, a change program in which a quality improvement methods is structured with an excellent view of processes, products and services. (Author)

Nurse retention and satisfaction in Ecuador: implications for nursing administration.

Science.gov (United States)

Palmer, Sheri P

2014-01-01

This study explores the characteristics of professional nursing work environments that may affect nursing turnover and satisfaction within a large Ecuadorian hospital. Nursing turnover is a challenge and may compromise patient care. Work dissatisfaction contributes to high turnover. Improving nurse satisfaction can contribute to better patient outcomes. Eighty-eight nurses participated in a quantitative and qualitative survey focusing on nursing satisfaction, turnover and selected organisation characteristics. Issues that may affect nurse satisfaction and turnover were identified using questions from the Nursing Work Index: pay, insufficient number of nurses, undervaluing of nurses by public and the medical team, limited advancement opportunities, lack of autonomy and inflexibility in schedule. Other themes identified from qualitative data are reported. The top factor of decreased satisfaction was low pay as indicated by the Nursing Work Index. The qualitative results showed that low pay was the factor for nurse turnover. Additional factors related to nursing satisfaction can be addressed to improve nurse retention. Along with increasing nursing pay, strategies to consider in decreasing turnover and increasing satisfaction included: providing opportunities for nursing advancement, promoting the value of nursing, creating clinical protocols and enhancing autonomy. This study adds to knowledge about nursing needs and satisfaction in South America. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Does low job satisfaction lead to job mobility?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kristensen, Nicolai; Westergård-Nielsen, Niels Chr.

This paper seeks to analyse the role of job satisfaction and actual job change behaviour. The analysis is based on the European Community Household Panel (ECHP) data for Danish families 1994-2000. The results show that inclusion of job satisfaction, which is a subjective measure, does improve...... the ability to predict actual quit behaviour: Low overall job satisfaction significantly increases the probability of quit. Various job satisfaction domains are ranked according to their ability to predict quits. Satisfaction with Type of Work is found to be the most important job characteristic while...... satisfaction with Job Security is found to be insignificant. These results hold across age, gender and education sub-groups and are opposed to results for UK, where job security is found to be the most important job domain. This discrepancy between UK and Denmark might be due to differences in unemployment...

Multidisciplinary Prerounding Meeting as a Continuous Quality Improvement Tool: Leveraging to Reduce Continuous Benzodiazepine Use at an Academic Medical Center.

Science.gov (United States)

Flannery, Alexander H; Thompson Bastin, Melissa L; Montgomery-Yates, Ashley; Hook, Corrine; Cassity, Evan; Eaton, Phillip M; Morris, Peter E

2018-01-01

Evidence-based medicine often has many barriers to overcome prior to implementation in practice, hence the importance of continuous quality improvement. We report on a brief (≤10 minutes) multidisciplinary meeting prior to rounds to establish a dashboard for continuous quality improvement and studied the success of this meeting on a particular area of focus: continuous infusion benzodiazepine minimization. This was a prospective observational study of patients admitted to the medical intensive care unit (MICU) of a large academic medical center over a 4-month period. A morning multidisciplinary prerounding meeting was implemented to report on metrics required to establish a dashboard for MICU care for the previous 24 hours. Fellows and nurse practitioners on respective teams reported on key quality metrics and other important data related to patient census. Continuous benzodiazepines were tracked daily as the number of patients per team who had orders for a continuous benzodiazepine infusion. The aim of this report is to describe the development of the morning multidisciplinary prerounding meeting and its impact on continuous benzodiazepine use, along with associated clinical outcomes. The median number of patients prescribed a continuous benzodiazepine daily decreased over this time period and demonstrated a sustained reduction at 1 year. Furthermore, sedation scores improved, corresponding to a reduction in median duration of mechanical ventilation. The effectiveness of this intervention was mapped post hoc to conceptual models used in implementation science. A brief multidisciplinary meeting to review select data points prior to morning rounds establishes mechanisms for continuous quality improvement and may serve as a mediating factor for successful implementation when initiating and monitoring practice change in the ICU.

Alternative Outpatient Chemotherapy Scheduling Method to Improve Patient Service Quality and Nurse Satisfaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Yu-Li; Bryce, Alan H; Culbertson, Tracy; Connor, Sarah L; Looker, Sherry A; Altman, Kristin M; Collins, James G; Stellner, Winston; McWilliams, Robert R; Moreno-Aspitia, Alvaro; Ailawadhi, Sikander; Mesa, Ruben A

2018-02-01

Optimal scheduling and calendar management in an outpatient chemotherapy unit is a complex process that is driven by a need to focus on safety while accommodating a high degree of variability. Primary constraints are infusion times, staffing resources, chair availability, and unit hours. We undertook a process to analyze our existing management models across multiple practice settings in our health care system, then developed a model to optimize safety and efficiency. The model was tested in one of the community chemotherapy units. We assessed staffing violations as measured by nurse-to-patient ratios throughout the workday and at key points during treatment. Staffing violations were tracked before and after the implementation of the new model. The new model reduced staffing violations by nearly 50% and required fewer chairs to treat the same number of patients for the selected clinic day. Actual implementation results indicated that the new model leveled the distribution of patients across the workday with an 18% reduction in maximum chair utilization and a 27% reduction in staffing violations. Subsequently, a positive impact on peak pharmacy workload reduced delays by as much as 35 minutes. Nursing staff satisfaction with the new model was positive. We conclude that the proposed optimization approach with regard to nursing resource assignment and workload balance throughout a day effectively improves patient service quality and staff satisfaction.

Patient satisfaction after gut-directed hypnotherapy in irritable bowel syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Lindfors, P; Ljótsson, B; Bjornsson, E; Abrahamsson, H; Simrén, M

2013-02-01

Gut-directed hypnotherapy is an effective treatment option for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). However, clinical observations suggest that patient satisfaction with hypnotherapy is not always associated with improvement in IBS symptoms. We evaluated 83 patients with IBS treated with gut-directed hypnotherapy (1 h week(-1), 12 weeks). After the treatment period, patients reported their satisfaction with the treatment (ranging from 1 = not at all satisfied, to 5 = very satisfied) and completed questionnaires to assess IBS symptom severity, quality of life, cognitive function, sense of coherence, depression, and anxiety before and after treatment. After hypnotherapy improved IBS symptom severity, quality of life, cognitive function, and anxiety were seen. Thirty patients (36%) were very satisfied with the treatment and 57 (69%) patients scored 4 or 5 on the patient satisfaction scale. Patient satisfaction was associated with less severe IBS symptoms and better quality of life after the treatment. In a multiple linear regression analysis, only the quality of life domain sexual relations was independently associated with patient satisfaction after hypnotherapy, explaining 22% of the variance. Using 25% reduction of IBS symptom severity to define an IBS symptom responder, 52% of the responders were very satisfied with hypnotherapy, but this was also true for 31% in the non-responder group. Patient satisfaction with gut-directed hypnotherapy in IBS is associated with improvement of quality of life and gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms. However, other factors unrelated to GI symptoms also seems to be of importance for patient satisfaction, as a substantial proportion of patients without GI symptom improvement were also very satisfied with this treatment option. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

The continuous improvement system of nuclear power plant of Laguna Verde

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rivera C, A.

2009-10-01

This paper describes the continuous improvement system of nuclear power plant of Laguna Verde and the achievements in implementing the same and additionally two study cases are presents. In February 2009 is noteworthy because the World Association of Nuclear Operators we identified as a learning organization, qualification which shows that the continuous improvement system has matured, and this system will expose as I get to learn to capitalize on our own experiences and external experiences diffused by the nuclear industry. In 2007 the management of nuclear power plants integrates its improvement systems and calls it continuous improvement system and is presented in the same extensive report that won the National Quality Award. This system is made up of 5 subsystems operating individually and are also related 1) human performance; 2) referential comparison or benchmarking; 3) self-assessment; 4) corrective action and 5) external operating experience. Five subsystems that plan, generate, capture, manage, communicate and protect the knowledge generated during the processes execution of nuclear power plant of Laguna Verde, as well as from external sources. The target set in 2007 was to increase the intellectual capital to always give response to meeting the security requirements, but creating a higher value to quality, customer, environment protection and society. In brief each of them, highlighting the objective, expectations management, implementation and some benefits. At the end they will describe two study cases selected to illustrate these cases as the organization learns by their continuous improvement system. (Author)

The Use of the Kano Model to Enhance Customer Satisfaction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Južnik Rotar Laura

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Background/purpose: The interest of measuring customer satisfaction is reflected in its ability to gain customer loyalty, enhance favourable word of mouth, lead to repeat purchases and improve a company’s market share and profitability. The issue of integrating the Kano model of customer satisfaction with other models and tools to support development or improvement of a product, or to determine market strategies, is relatively unexplored in the Slovenian sector. This research aims to construct the Kano model in order to enhance customer satisfaction in the case of home appliances.

Improving service quality in NHS Trust hospitals: lessons from the hotel sector.

Science.gov (United States)

Desombre, T; Eccles, G