62. 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: C
Discontinue the campaign because patient satisfaction declined from baseline to six months following the campaign introduction.
The hospital management team should discontinue the campaign as patient satisfaction has significantly decreased from an average of 4.20 to 1.5 six months after the campaign was implemented.
A) Change the campaign because it worked initially but is no longer effective
While it is true that the campaign may have had initial success, the dramatic decline in patient satisfaction indicates that merely changing the campaign may not be sufficient. The significant drop suggests a fundamental issue with the campaign's effectiveness over time, warranting discontinuation rather than modification.
B) Continue the campaign because patient satisfaction significantly increased from baseline to six months following the campaign introduction
This option is incorrect as it misrepresents the data. Patient satisfaction actually decreased from the baseline to six months post-campaign, dropping from 4.20 to 1.5. Therefore, there is no basis to claim that satisfaction increased, making this option invalid.
C) Discontinue the campaign because patient satisfaction declined from baseline to six months following the campaign introduction
This option is correct as it accurately reflects the situation. The decline in patient satisfaction from 4.20 to 1.5 indicates that the campaign is not achieving its intended goal, thus necessitating its discontinuation to possibly explore alternative strategies that may better serve patient needs.
D) Continue the campaign because there was an increase in patients that came to the hospital during the six months
This choice fails to address the primary concern of patient satisfaction. An increase in patient volume does not correlate with improved satisfaction levels; in fact, the data indicates declining satisfaction, which suggests that continuing the campaign would be misguided.
Conclusion
The correct action for the hospital management team is to discontinue the campaign due to the substantial decline in patient satisfaction. All other options either misinterpret the data or propose actions that do not align with the goal of improving patient experiences. Thus, discontinuation is the most logical step to take in response to the observed outcomes.