Measuring and improving the patient experience in radiology

Recently enacted healthcare legislation and the associated payment reforms have shifted the focus from traditional fee for service models to adding measurable and appreciable value to the patient experience. The value equation links quality to costs, and quality metrics are now directly related to patient outcomes and the patient experience. To participate effectively in this new paradigm requires not only that we provide excellent, timely and appropriate patient-centric care at all times, but that we are able to measure and manage the feedback we obtain from our patients. Of course, in order to provide value-added care, we must know not only who our customers are, but what they value. In this review, we explore factors that impact patient perception and experience with imaging services. We further illustrate different ways that patient feedback can be elicited and provide pros and cons of each approach. Collecting appropriate data is insufficient by itself; such data must be carefully analyzed, and opportunities for improvement must be identified, introduced, and monitored ahead of future surveys.