Patient satisfaction is poor measure of hospital quality

(HealthDay)—The Pridit approach can be used to predict hospital quality and health outcomes, according to a study published online Sept. 30 in the Risk Management and Insurance Review.

Robert D. Lieberthal, Ph.D., and Dominique M. Comer, Pharm.D., from the Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, developed a model to determine U.S. hospital quality variables and outcomes based on the Pridit method, originally developed for the detection of health care fraud. The application of Pridit gives an overall picture of quality, including elements such as demographic, process, outcome, and satisfaction measures.

The researchers found that patient satisfaction was a poor measure of quality. Furthermore, the best hospitals were not the quietest or those with the most responsive clinicians. Rather, busier hospitals generally had better performance; they scored high using process and outcome variables and volume indicators but scored medium in terms of patient satisfaction.

"In conclusion, Pridit adds to our understanding of hospital quality, and presents as a new methodology insurers can use for contracting, network selection, and pricing," the authors write. "Our use of multiple outcomes allowed us to show that certain aspects of hospital quality measurement, specifically satisfaction and readmissions, are related to overall hospital performance in a different way than has been traditionally assumed."