Factors affecting patient satisfaction with anesthesiologist

Editor's Note

This survey of patients' satisfaction with their anesthesiologists found that some factors governing satisfaction are beyond the ability of the anesthesiologist to control.

Of 629,220 patients administered the “Anesthesia Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire” 51,676 patients responded for a 9.3% response rate.

After multivariate regression analysis, no patient or procedural factor was associated with the ratings patients gave their anesthesiologists. However, 55 years of age or more, inpatient setting, and nighttime surgery were linked to lower scores on other satisfaction questions. Patients who received sedation or regional anesthesia rather than general anesthesia also responded more positively to questions relating to satisfaction with their anesthesiologists.

The findings that patient age and time of surgery were associated with anesthesia provider satisfaction suggest that some factors affecting satisfaction may lie outside the provider’s control, the authors say.