Study: MDs fault hospital exec communication

Physicians aren't very satisfied with communication between themselves and hospital leaders, according to a new study published by consultant Press Ganey. The study, which addresses 21,000 physicians' perceptions of U.S. hospitals, found that most doctors were satisfied with the quality of care they were able to provide, they had some administrative concerns:

• When considered on a specialty-by-specialty basis, surgeons were less satisfied than other specialists, a fact that should concern hospital administrators given surgeons' ability to produce revenue. 
• Many physicians weren't satisfied the pace staff executed written orders and provided reports on patient conditions.
• Perhaps most importantly, physicians weren't thrilled with the relationship they had with hospital administrators. However, administrators can improve things by responding to doctors' needs and ideas more effectively, researchers found.

Another Press Ganey conclusion was that to succeed, hospitals must boost the pace at which low-admitting and low-referring physicians use hospital services. One way to do this is to improve their patients' perceptions of a hospital, as hospitals patients like are often recommended by physicians.

 To learn more about the report:
- read this press release
- read the report (.pdf)

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