Edge Healthcare Research, Inc. has completed over two hundred medical staff surveys and found significant variations in the importance of various performance factors and in the key drivers of medical staff satisfaction.

An internal analysis of results from over 200 hospitals in part utilized correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis to determine which factors best predicted satisfaction. Regression analysis is used to: (1) determine if a relationship exists between two variables, (2) describe the nature of the relationship in a mathematical equation, (3) assess the degree of accuracy of prediction achieved, and (4) assess the relative importance of the various predictor variables in their contribution to variation in the criterion variable.

“Key Drivers" are described as those factors which, when improved, will have the greatest impact on overall satisfaction. So, the resulting key drivers are typically five or six factors that we identify for a client to focus on to improve overall medical staff satisfaction.

Among the findings of the overall analysis were these main points:

1. The importance of performance (satisfaction) item factors can vary between hospitals, in part, when specific needs or shortcomings exist at a particular hospital. Here is an example. When a particular need exists or is perceived as a shortcoming, that item, such as "ease of scheduling patients for surgery," can become a more important factor.
2. Key drivers of satisfaction at most hospitals focus on these main items:
   
   
   
   • Administration: Responsiveness to needs of physicians
   • Nursing: Overall satisfaction with nursing care
   • Image: Perceived reputation of hospital in community
   • Administration: Communication with medical staff
3. Key drivers of satisfaction can vary from hospital to hospital.
4. Dissatisfaction with administration and their communication with physicians tend to correlate with lower satisfaction scores.
5. Key dissatisfiers can vary and change over time. One analysis
   showed that as dissatisfaction for one or more shortcomings was reduced,
   by improving the service, other factors replaced them as dissatisfiers. This underscores the need for periodic (annual) medical staff satisfaction studies to stay abreast of changing physician perceptions.

Another very important point is that the EDGE Healthcare Research survey measures over ninety items across 21 categories. It is not a reduced study that only "hits the highlights." Hospital management needs actionable information on all functional areas to fully analyze medical staff satisfaction. A broad and thorough study can provide all departments with data to maintain and improve services.

For more information on a medical staff or other physician survey, go to contact us on this web site.

Source: Internal unpublished analysis, September, 2005. Copyright 2005 Edge Healthcare Research, Inc. Not to be reproduced in whole or part without permission.