University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, Texas
University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, Texas.
Ann Fam Med. 2023 Mar-Apr;21(2):125-131. doi: 10.1370/afm.2949.
The process and outcomes of delivering medical care for chronic low back pain might affect patient satisfaction. We aimed to determine the associations of process and outcomes with patient satisfaction.
We conducted a cross-sectional study of patient satisfaction among adult participants with chronic low back pain in a national pain research registry using self-reported measures of physician communication, physician empathy, current physician opioid prescribing for low back pain, and outcomes pertaining to pain intensity, physical function, and health-related quality of life. We used simple and multiple linear regression models to measure factors associated with patient satisfaction, including a subgroup of participants having both chronic low back pain and the same treating physician for >5 years.
Among 1,352 participants, only physician empathy (standardized , 0.638; 95% CI, 0.588-0.688; = 25.14; < .001) and physician communication (standardized , 0.182; 95% CI, 0.133-0.232; = 7.22; < .001) were associated with patient satisfaction in the multivariable analysis that controlled for potential confounders. Similarly, in the subgroup of 355 participants, physician empathy (standardized , 0.633; 95% CI, 0.529-0.737; = 11.95; < .001) and physician communication (standardized , 0.208; 95% CI, 0.105-0.311; = 3.96; < .001) remained associated with patient satisfaction in the multivariable analysis.
Process measures, notably physician empathy and physician communication, were strongly associated with patient satisfaction with medical care for chronic low back pain. Our findings support the view that patients with chronic pain highly value physicians who are empathic and who make efforts to more clearly communicate treatment plans and expectations.
医疗护理慢性下背痛的过程和结果可能会影响患者满意度。我们旨在确定过程和结果与患者满意度的关联。
我们使用自我报告的医生沟通、医生共情、当前医生对下背痛开阿片类药物处方、与疼痛强度、身体功能和健康相关生活质量相关的结果，在全国疼痛研究登记处对患有慢性下背痛的成年参与者进行了一项患者满意度的横断面研究。我们使用简单和多元线性回归模型来衡量与患者满意度相关的因素，包括患有慢性下背痛且同一治疗医生治疗时间>5 年的参与者亚组。
在 1352 名参与者中，只有医生共情（标准化 ，0.638；95%CI，0.588-0.688； = 25.14； <.001）和医生沟通（标准化 ，0.182；95%CI，0.133-0.232； = 7.22； <.001）与多变量分析中控制潜在混杂因素后的患者满意度相关。同样，在 355 名参与者的亚组中，医生共情（标准化 ，0.633；95%CI，0.529-0.737； = 11.95； <.001）和医生沟通（标准化 ，0.208；95%CI，0.105-0.311； = 3.96； <.001）在多变量分析中仍然与患者对慢性下背痛医疗护理的满意度相关。
过程测量，特别是医生共情和医生沟通，与患者对慢性下背痛医疗护理的满意度密切相关。我们的发现支持这样一种观点，即患有慢性疼痛的患者非常重视有同理心并努力更清楚地沟通治疗计划和期望的医生。
