Patient Feedback in Pediatric Radiology

Introduction and aim: The aim of the study was to analyze a regularly conducted patient satisfaction survey in order to monitor patient well-being and comfort in a pediatric radiology academic unit.

Method: In the first week of the month, all pediatric referrals, respectively their adult representatives, were asked to complete a questionnaire consisting of ten questions. Five could be rated from 1 (best) to 4 (worst), four were free text questions and one was a yes/no question. In particular, patients were asked about their experience regarding waiting time and to what extent they were informed about the procedure itself and the radiation exposure. Another question evaluated if this unit would be recommended to others. The survey was discussed monthly at team meetings.

Result: In the years between 2014 – 2020, a total of 297 058 examinations were performed and 3917 completed questionnaires were collected (1.3%). The overall rating for the multiple-choice questions (rated from 1- best to 4- worst) was 1.26. 95.17% of the respondents claimed to be sufficiently informed about the procedure and radiation exposure, and 98.18% would recommend the facility to others. The waiting time before the examination was described as short or appropriate by 91.86% of the patients.

Conclusion: Child well-being is an essential factor for pediatric imaging. The pediatric radiology team targeted all influencing factors, such as environment, procedure information and waiting time. Moreover, the commitment of the team is a major factor. Besides the technical and medical expertise, results show that in pediatric radiology it is possible to maintain a high level of patient or adult representative satisfaction through careful management and monitoring tools.

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Publication History

Article published online:
19 August 2021