49. A healthcare organization implements a campaign to improve patient satisfaction during recent stays. The average patient satisfaction before the campaign is M = 4.20, SD = 3.0. Six months after the new campaign, the average patient satisfaction is M = 1.5, SD = 2.0. Which action should the hospital management team take?
Answer: B
Discontinue the campaign because patient satisfaction declined from baseline to six months following the campaign introduction.
The data indicates a significant decline in average patient satisfaction from M = 4.20 to M = 1.5 after the campaign was implemented. This reduction suggests that the campaign did not achieve its intended goal of improving patient satisfaction.
A) Continue the campaign because patient satisfaction significantly increased from baseline to six months following the campaign introduction
This option is incorrect because the data shows a decrease in patient satisfaction rather than an increase. Continuing the campaign would not be justified given the negative outcome reflected in the satisfaction scores.
B) Discontinue the campaign because patient satisfaction declined from baseline to six months following the campaign introduction
This option is correct. The evidence clearly shows that patient satisfaction dropped significantly from M = 4.20 to M = 1.5, indicating that the campaign was unsuccessful in improving, and instead worsened, the patient experience. Therefore, discontinuing the campaign is a necessary step.
C) Change the campaign because it worked initially but is no longer effective
While this option suggests a potential course of action, it is not accurate since the campaign did not demonstrate initial effectiveness. The substantial decline in satisfaction indicates that the campaign was ineffective from the start, thus simply changing it would not address the core issue.
D) Continue the campaign because there was an increase in patients that came to the hospital during the six months
This option is misleading as it focuses on the increase in patient volume rather than satisfaction levels. While more patients may have visited the hospital, the decline in satisfaction indicates that the quality of care or service may have deteriorated, making it inappropriate to continue the campaign based solely on patient numbers.
Conclusion
In summary, the correct action for the hospital management team is to discontinue the campaign, as evidenced by the significant drop in patient satisfaction scores. All other options fail to recognize the crucial aspect of patient satisfaction, which is the primary objective of the campaign. Thus, addressing the decline rather than ignoring it is imperative to improve future patient experiences.