Satisfaction and perceived empathy are relatively stable constructs, are not clearly associated with other factors, and are strongly correlated with one another. This study supports the research practice of measuring satisfaction immediately after the visit, which is more convenient for both participant and researcher and avoids the loss of more than one third of the patients, and those with a worse experience in particular. To improve the utility and interpretation of patient-reported experience measures such as these, we might direct our efforts to developing scales with less ceiling effect.
Corresponding author: David Ring, MD, PhD, Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin, Health Discovery Building HDB 6.706, 1701 Trinity St., Austin, TX 78705; david.ring@austin.utexas.edu.
Financial disclosures: Dr. Ring has or may receive payment or benefits from Skeletal Dynamics, Wright Medical for elbow implants, Deputy Editor for Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research, Universities and Hospitals, Lawyers outside the submitted work.
Dr. Teunis has or may receive payment or benefits from VCC, PATIENT+, and AO Trauma TK network unrelated to this work and consultant fees from Synthes.
