The Effects of Medical Music Therapy on Patient Satisfaction: As Measured by the Press Ganey Inpatient Survey

Satisfaction of patients receiving medical treatment is currently a driving factor in healthcare reform for both quality of care and economic reasons. Numerous studies have examined factors that influence patient satisfaction and identified those with significant positive outcomes. Factors related to increased patient satisfaction include shorter waiting times (Eilers, 2004), level of information received (Barry & Henderson, 1996; Fallowfield, Baum, & Maguire, 1986; Ludwich-Rosenthal & Neufeld, 1993; Martelli, Auerbach, Alexander, & Mercuri, 1987), physician friendliness (Auerbach, Clore, Kiesler, Orr, Pegg, Quick, et al., 2002), and experiencing a "match" between desired and actual level of involvement in decisions affecting one's care (Campbell, Auerbach, & Kiesler, 2007). Research has shown that when patients feel their needs are being met with regard to decision making, amount of information received, and interpersonal relationships, they are generally more satisfied (Kiesler & Auerbach, 2006).Although every patient has unique needs, certain "types" of patients have been identified with regard to information seeking, decision making, and interpersonal relationships. Understanding how a patient's personality type influences their preferences for medical treatment is one way in which health care personnel can help increase patient satisfaction and improve health outcomes.Some patients prefer to receive high levels of information about their treatment. These patients have been termed "monitors" or "information seekers". Other patients, also called "blunters" or "information avoiders" prefer low levels of information (Miller & Mangan, 1983). Patients who received their desired level of information reported lower pain after surgery (Martelli, Auerbach, Alexander, & Mercuri, 1987), less anxiety and more adaptive coping behaviors (Ludwick-Rosenthal & Neufeld, 1993), and lower levels of physiological arousal to the impending procedure (Miller & Mangan, 1983). Additionally, when making decisions about medical treatment, some patients prefer to play an active or autonomous role, making decisions on their own while others prefer to play a passive role, letting the doctor or other healthcare providers make the decisions. Still others prefer a collaborative or shared role, in which the patient and the doctor work together to make the decision (Kiesler & Auerbach, 2006).Although varying reports indicate that there is no clear dominance of one role type over the others, many studies report high discrepancies between patients' desired role and their enacted role. On average, fewer than 50% of patients reported agreement between preferred and actual role (Barry & Henderson, 1996; Bilodeau & Degner, 1996; Chappie, Shah, Caress, & Kay, 2003; Gattellari, Voigt, Butow, & Tattersall, 2002; Keating, Guadagnoli, Landrum, Borbas, & Weeks, 2002). Arora (2000) noted a trend toward better outcomes, including positive affect, health outlook, and reduced depression and fatigue, for patients who prefer an active role when they receive their desired level of involvement. An earlier study (Brody et al., 1989) revealed that patients who reported playing an active role in their treatment reported lower levels of illness concern and a greater sense of control over their illness. There was no activity by role interaction, indicating that patients who report active involvement may have better health outcomes, regardless of their stated preference for level of involvement. Gattellari, Voigt, Butow, and Tattersall (2002) confirmed this finding and suggested that encouraging patient participation may be the safest approach to ensuring patient satisfaction. The level of agreement between the physician's and the patient's beliefs about shared involvement or control has been reported to be low (Crawford et al., 1997; Faden, Becker, Lewis, Freeman, & Faden, 1981), suggesting that increased communication between physicians and patients and more opportunities for patient involvement are warranted. …