47. 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: D
Hospital management should discontinue the campaign due to a decline in patient satisfaction.
After the campaign implementation, the average patient satisfaction dropped significantly from M = 4.20 to M = 1.5, indicating that the campaign did not achieve its intended goal of improving patient satisfaction.
A) Continue the campaign because there was an increase in patients that came to the hospital during the six months
This option is incorrect because patient volume alone does not indicate the effectiveness of the campaign. The substantial decline in patient satisfaction suggests that the increase in patient numbers did not translate to positive experiences.
B) Continue the campaign because patient satisfaction significantly increased from baseline to six months following the campaign introduction
This option is incorrect as it misinterprets the data. Patient satisfaction did not increase; it actually decreased significantly from the baseline measurement, making it unreasonable to continue the campaign based on this premise.
C) Change the campaign because it worked initially but is no longer effective
While this option acknowledges that the campaign was initially effective, it fails to recognize the extent of the decline in patient satisfaction. Changing the campaign may not be sufficient when the satisfaction has dropped significantly; therefore, it is more prudent to discontinue it altogether.
D) Discontinue the campaign because patient satisfaction declined from baseline to six months following the campaign introduction
This option is correct as it directly addresses the critical outcome of the campaign. The sharp decline in patient satisfaction indicates that the campaign is not achieving its goal and should be stopped to reassess the approach.
Conclusion
The correct action for the hospital management team is to discontinue the campaign due to the significant drop in patient satisfaction from baseline to six months. All other options either misinterpret the data or fail to adequately address the negative outcomes, highlighting the need for a reassessment of strategies to improve patient experiences.