The Power of Survey Data

The Correlation Between Cycle Times and Patient Satisfaction

A recent study was performed to determine the effect of cycle times on patient satisfaction. By placing a patient survey (see below) on the SyncTimes tablet inside of the exam room for patients to interact with while they are alone in the room, we were able to survey 971 patients over the span of 4 months. When patients selected a survey response, clinical personnel were immediately notified of their response to attend to the patient if needed.

Our survey responses came from 3 health centers. The data shows strong inverse correlation between the amount of time spent alone and the level of satisfaction from the patient.

On average, patients who gave a negative survey response spent 37 minutes alone in the exam room while patients who gave a positive survey response spent an average of 23 minutes alone.

In addition to less alone time, satisfied patients also spent more time with clinical staff. Dissatisfied patients spent an average of 12 minutes with staff while happy patients averaged 19 minutes with clinical staff.

Key Takeaways:

• Cycle times, specifically time alone in the exam room, has a large effect on patient satisfaction
• Surveying patients in the exam room before leaving the health center offers the opportunity to perform an immediate service recovery.
• Having a system in place to collect and track survey and cycle data is key to creating a patient-centered experience