Purpose
The purpose of this study is to determine patients’ attitudes towards their experience in a physician’s practice and to correlate those attitudes with the physicians’ perceptions of the patients experience in an ophthalmology setting. One particular facet of this study examines the importance of technology in a patient’s experience at a physician’s practice. Further by understanding factors that patient’s emphasize or seek in a practice, physicians can better accommodate the changing needs of patients. Defining the factors that influence a patient’s interest in ophthalmology and delineating what patients value in an ophthalmology practice allow physicians to better accommodate the changing needs of patients.
Methods
A descriptive survey was distributed to patients and physicians of an ophthalmologic private practice in Northern California.
Results
31 patients completed the survey and 6 physicians in a single Northern California ophthalmic private practice. Results showed that the most important factors for patients and physicians are the ability to ask questions, cleanliness, staff friendliness and availability of the physician.<br /> Patients would like a physician’s social media to be a reference for their practice and there is a split to social media acting as a means of physician-patient communication as well as a resource for health related topics. Physicians felt that social media should be a means of marketing and promotion of the practice but none thought it should be used as a tool for direct patient interaction.<br /> Patients do use social media to find information related to their health conditions, though the near majority is on a monthly level. Patients overwhelmingly felt the health information from their physician to be very reliable over the information found via social media.
Conclusions
Patients value the ability to ask questions and be heard. The overall patient experience is important: wait times/staff friendliness/cleanliness/availability of the physician. Less emphasis is placed on social media and a physician’s presence on social media.<br /> In terms of social media; no physician felt that social media should be a tool for direct patient interaction but rather a majority felt it is a tool for marketing and promotion of the practice.