Specificity is key to successful application of analytics.

More data do not necessarily equate to better analytics. Choosing the right analytics tools and applying them to specific areas leads to better results. A Midwest hospital used single-point metrics to identify underperforming facilities and drive improvements.

State nursing shortages and patient satisfaction: more RNs--better patient experiences.

This study of 827,430 patients, 733 hospitals, and 25 states compares state performance in patient satisfaction with the supply of registered nurses. A significant, positive relationship exists between a state's supply of registered nurses and patients' evaluations of their care experiences. Hospitals in states with nursing shortages may be challenged by national comparisons of patient satisfaction and should take these results into account when devising their quality improvement strategy.

Patient perceptions of quality in discharge instruction.

The present study investigates patient perceptions of the quality of discharge instruction by assessing inpatients' ratings of care and service in the United States over the past 5 years (1997-2001) (n = 4,901,178). As expected, patients' ratings of "instructions given about how to care for yourself at home" showed a strong, consistent positive relationship with overall patient satisfaction from 1997 through 2001. Nevertheless, patient satisfaction with discharge instructions decreased significantly each year (p < 0.

Elderly inpatients' priorities for acute care service quality.

This study examines elderly and advanced elderly inpatients' perceptions of acute care service quality, prioritises opportunities for quality improvement, and assesses variation in patients' satisfaction with care. Psychometrically-validated postal questionnaires were sent to random samplings of patients discharged from the US acute care facilities in 2002 (n = 2,057,164). Quality improvement priorities among non-elderly (< 65 years), elderly (65-74 years), and advanced elderly (> 74 years) were similar but substantial variation was found comparing single items between age groups.

Timeliness in ambulatory care treatment. An examination of patient satisfaction and wait times in medical practices and outpatient test and treatment facilities.

Timeliness, one of the Institute of Medicine's six aims for improving the quality of health care, is an important yet understudied aspect of health care. It has been well documented as a factor influencing satisfaction in many other service industries but not as frequently in health care, especially outside of the emergency department. This article examines current trends with wait times and their effect on overall satisfaction with care in physician's offices and outpatient test and treatment facilities offering both analysis of the current situation and recommendations for improvement in the future.