BACKGROUND To achieve a high level of patient satisfaction, providers need to identify and address patients' expectations. However, providers' beliefs and attitudes regarding expectations, as well as how to manage them, are not well understood. METHODS The authors developed a survey to assess clinicians' awareness, attitudes, competence and performance with respect to patient expectations. Th...

BACKGROUND Very little data exist regarding patients' preoperative expectations of the outcome of total shoulder arthroplasty. We hypothesized that younger patients and patients with worse function and worse general health would have greater expectations of total shoulder arthroplasty. METHODS Ninety-eight patients who underwent unilateral primary total shoulder arthroplasty at one institutio...

BACKGROUND Expectations for treatment have been associated with outcomes. Expectations in acupuncture treatment have rarely been addressed, and due to the unique concerns of pregnancy and childbirth, obstetric patients merit special attention. PRIMARY STUDY OBJECTIVE Assess treatment expectations of acupuncture clinic patients treated for obstetric and related concerns. METHODS/DESIGN Descr...

Emergency departments (ED) overcrowding, long wait, and uncomfortable waiting room conditions may lower perceived quality of the patient experience and satisfaction. This study investigates the relationship between patient satisfaction and communication of expected wait times, at the point of triage. A pre-post (11/4/ 2008 – 2/5/2009) group design with convenience sample (n=1,209) of all discha...