Effects of patient demands on satisfaction with Japanese hospital care

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to detect whether there was any difference among the characteristics of patient satisfaction between two patient emphasis groups: patients demanding technical elements of hospital care and patients demanding interpersonal elements. DESIGN AND SETTING: The sample for this study was drawn from in-patients discharged from 77 voluntarily participating hospitals throughout Japan. The relationship between overall satisfaction with hospital care and patient satisfaction, and the evaluation of a hospital's reputation, was explored by stepwise multiple regression analysis of 33 variables relevant to aspects of hospital care for each patient group. RESULTS: In the interpersonal emphasis (IE) group, 'nurse's kindness and warmth' was associated significantly with overall satisfaction, while 'skill of nursing care' and 'nurse's explanation' were significant predictors of overall satisfaction in the technical emphasis (TE) group. On the other hand, 'doctor's clinical competence', 'recovery from distress and anxiety', and items pertaining to the hospital's reputation were significantly related to overall satisfaction in both emphasis groups. CONCLUSION: For overall patient satisfaction, it is essential to satisfy specific items related to the aspect of hospital care emphasized by the patient. Specific significant predictors of overall satisfaction (e.g. 'doctor's clinical competence') were indispensable measures of professional performance in hospital care, irrespective of the patients' emphasis. A positive perception of hospital reputation items might increase overall patient satisfaction with Japanese hospitals.