Ophthalmology
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To determine which metrics from the Press Ganey patient satisfaction survey best correlate with "likelihood to recommend" among patients in an academic tertiary medical center practice setting. ⋯ The perception of time spent with the practitioner and ease of appointment scheduling are the 2 variables that best correlate with patients recommending their ophthalmologists to other prospective patients.
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The number of unsolicited patient complaints about a physician has been shown to correlate with increased malpractice risk. Using a large national patient complaint database, we evaluated the number and content of unsolicited patient complaints about ophthalmologists to identify significant risk factors for receiving a complaint. ⋯ Ophthalmologists had significantly fewer complaints than nonophthalmic surgeons and nonophthalmic nonsurgeons, and by implication may have a lower malpractice risk as a group. Nevertheless, a small number of ophthalmologists generated a disproportionate number of complaints. Working at an academic center was a significant independent risk factor for having more patient complaints. Further research is needed to clarify the underlying reasons for this association and to identify interventions that may decrease this risk.