The effect of medical student teaching on patient satisfaction in a managed care setting.

OBJECTIVE

To measure the effect on patient satisfaction of medical student participation in care and the presence of medical student teaching.

DESIGN

Prospective cohort study.

SETTING

Eight outpatient internal medicine departments of a university-affiliated HMO in Massachusetts.

PATIENTS

Two hundred seven patients seen on teaching days (81 patients who saw a medical student-preceptor dyad and 126 patients who saw the preceptor alone), and 360 patients who saw the preceptor on nonteaching days. Five hundred (88%) of 567 eligible patients responded.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

Thirteen closed-response items on a written questionnaire, measuring satisfaction with specific dimensions of care and with care as a whole. Visit satisfaction was similar among patients on teaching and nonteaching days. Ninety-one percent of patients seeing a medical student, 93% of patients seeing the preceptor alone on teaching days, and 93% of patients on nonteaching days were satisfied or very satisfied with their visit; less than 2% of patients in each group were dissatisfied with their visit. Satisfaction on all measured dimensions of care was similar for patients seeing a medical student, patients seeing the preceptor alone on teaching days, and patients seeing the preceptor on nonteaching days.

CONCLUSIONS

Medical student participation and the presence of medical student teaching had little effect on patient satisfaction. Concerns about patient satisfaction should not prevent managed care organizations from participating in primary care education.