Evaluating the use of business cards among neurosurgery residents and its impact on patient satisfaction

Marko Spasic; Carlito Lagman; Lawrance K. Chung; Timothy T. Bui; Seung J. Lee; Brittany L. Voth; Christopher Migdal; Nousha Hefzi; Winward Choy; Andy Trang; Panayiotis E. Pelargos; Virgie Mosley; Tony Padilla; Nasim Afsar-Manesh; Jeffrey D. Suh; Quinton Gopen; Isaac Yang

doi:10.1016/j.inat.2016.10.003

Interdisciplinary Neurosurgery (Jun 2017)

Evaluating the use of business cards among neurosurgery residents and its impact on patient satisfaction

Marko Spasic,
Carlito Lagman,
Lawrance K. Chung,
Timothy T. Bui,
Seung J. Lee,
Brittany L. Voth,
Christopher Migdal,
Nousha Hefzi,
Winward Choy,
Andy Trang,
Panayiotis E. Pelargos,
Virgie Mosley,
Tony Padilla,
Nasim Afsar-Manesh,
Jeffrey D. Suh,
Quinton Gopen,
Isaac Yang

Affiliations

Marko Spasic: Department of Neurosurgery, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Carlito Lagman: Department of Neurosurgery, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Lawrance K. Chung: Department of Neurosurgery, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Timothy T. Bui: Department of Neurosurgery, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Seung J. Lee: Department of Neurosurgery, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Brittany L. Voth: Department of Neurosurgery, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Christopher Migdal: Department of Neurosurgery, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Nousha Hefzi: Department of Neurosurgery, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Winward Choy: Department of Neurosurgery, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Andy Trang: Department of Neurosurgery, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Panayiotis E. Pelargos: Department of Neurosurgery, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Virgie Mosley: Office of the Patient Experience, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Tony Padilla: Office of the Patient Experience, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Nasim Afsar-Manesh: Department of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Jeffrey D. Suh: Department of Surgery, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Quinton Gopen: Department of Head and Neck Surgery, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Isaac Yang: Department of Neurosurgery, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.inat.2016.10.003
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 8, no. C
pp. 68 – 71

Abstract

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Objective: To assess the frequency of physician business card utilization among neurosurgery residents and its impact on patient satisfaction, reflected in scores on the CI-CARE patient survey. The authors hypothesize that neurosurgeons hand out business cards less frequently and that this may have potential implications for patient satisfaction. Methods: A retrospective review of patient survey results was performed. Residents were divided into two groups: 1) business card use and 2) no business card use. Scores on survey questions, which pertained to overall communication, medical expertise, and quality of care delivered were compared between groups using a Mann-Whitney U test. Results: A total of 4222 surveys of 367 residents across 9 departments were collected. PGY-1 and -2 residents were most frequently evaluated (n = 1647, 39% and n = 1416, 33.5%, respectively) and handed out the most business cards (n = 398, 25.4% and n = 302, 22%, respectively). PGY-1 and -2 residents who handed out business cards were perceived by patients to be better overall communicators and have greater medical expertise (P < 0.01). Neurosurgery residents rarely handed out business cards (n = 23, 11.9%). Neurosurgery residents who handed out business cards were perceived to have better overall communication skills compared to residents who did not hand out business cards (P = 0.036). Conclusions: Our data suggests that neurosurgery residents are less inclined to hand out business cards, but those who did were viewed as having better communication skills.

Published in Interdisciplinary Neurosurgery

ISSN: 2214-7519 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: Netherlands
LCC subjects: Medicine: Surgery; Medicine: Internal medicine: Neurosciences. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry: Neurology. Diseases of the nervous system
Website: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/interdisciplinary-neurosurgery/

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