Hospital Satisfaction Following Hip Replacement Surgery: Men And Women Cite Different Priorities

What are patients looking for from hospital staff following total hip replacement (THR) surgery? If the patient is a woman, responsiveness and clear communication from nurses and doctors, according to a new study presented at the 2017 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS); if the patient is a man, optimal pain management.

"Interestingly, there are differences in perception of care between men and women," says Michael A. Mont, MD, study author and chairman of orthopaedic surgery at Cleveland Clinic.

Researchers analyzed survey results from 692 patients who had undergone THR between November 2009 and January 2015, in the study. The patients included 277 men (mean age 62) and 414 women (mean age 62).

The men and women had comparable mean hospital satisfaction scores, and there were no significant differences in the grading of nurse communication, staff responsiveness, doctor communication, hospital environment, pain management, and communication about medication. However, when patient perception was further analyzed, researchers found a gender bias in the factors that influenced men's and women's perceptions of care. Women's patient satisfaction were most influenced by staff responsiveness, followed by their communication with nurses and doctors. For men, the way their pain was managed had the strongest impact on their overall satisfaction with care.

In 2012, the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services shifted from a fee-for-service to a fee-for-performance model. As a result, patient satisfaction, as measured by surveys such as the one analyzed, partially determines reimbursement rates.

"Overall, patient satisfaction should be the goal of every orthopaedist," says Anton Khlopas, MD, one of the study authors. "Focusing efforts based on gender may allow for better patient satisfaction."