Kimberly A. Fisher|Kelly M. Smith|Thomas H. Gallagher|Jim Huang|James C Borton|Kathleen M. Mazor
We want to know: patient comfort speaking up about breakdowns in care and patient experience
University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School|MedStar Health|University of Washington|MedStar Health|Georgetown-Howard Universities Center for Clinical and Translational Science|MedStar Health|Reliant Medical Group|University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School
objective assess patient comfort speaking problems hospitalisation identify patients increased risk problem feeling comfortable speaking design crosssectional study setting eight hospitals maryland washington district columbia participants patients hospitalised one eight hospitals completed hospital consumer assessment healthcare providers systems survey postdischarge main outcome measures response question often feel comfortable speaking problems care grouped 1 problems hospitalisation 2 always felt comfortable speaking 3 usuallysometimesnever felt comfortable speaking results 10 212 patients provided valid responses 4958 486 indicated experienced problem hospitalisation 1514 305 always feel comfortable speaking predictors problem hospitalisation included age health status education level patients older reported worse overall mental health admitted via emergency department speak english home less likely always feel comfortable speaking patients always comfortable speaking provided lower ratings nurse communication 478 vs 804 plt001 physician communication 572 vs 826 plt001 overall hospital ratings 71 vs 87 plt001 significantly less likely definitely recommend hospital 367 vs 717 plt001 patients always comfortable speaking conclusions patients frequently experience problems care hospitalisation many feel comfortable speaking creating conditions patients comfortable speaking may result service recovery opportunities improved patient experience efforts consider impact health literacy mental health patient engagement patientsafety activities