Leaders from the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) recently discussed patient satisfaction and quality concerns at the 2016 National Conference of Constituency Leaders (NCCL).
The representatives came from five constituency groups: minorities, women, international medical graduates (IMGs), new physicians, and gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) physicians and supporters. They submitted their conclusions to the Reference Committee on Advocacy.
According to the leaders, patient satisfaction surveys should be reserved for internal use by the doctors themselves. These surveys should not be given to third-party payers, such as insurance companies, which then decide whether the physicians should receive payment for their services.
"For many of us, our salaries and bonuses are based on these patient satisfaction surveys, which do not accurately reflect the quality of care that we give," Jessica Triche, coauthor of the original resolution, said. "They instead reflect the quality of care that patients perceive.”
Many health professionals are concerned about the variety of consequences that the surveys could have for the medical industry. This affects not just doctors but patients, as well.
"It seems there is a perception that (the surveys) add to providing quality care, but we know very clearly that they are associated with increased costs, increased prescription use -- opioids and antibiotics -- and, probably most frightening to me, increased mortality for patients," Leanne Swiderski, another coauthor of the resolution, said.
