Are health professionals' working conditions and job satisfaction associated to patient satisfaction?

Background: Over the last decades, physicians, researchers and health administrators have been working hard to define standards for high quality treatment and care in Internal Medicine departments.However, it is unclear whether patients’ perceptions of medical treatment and care are related and affected by physicians’ perceptions of their working conditions and job satisfaction. The aim of this study was to evaluate patients’ satisfaction in relation to physicians’ working conditions. Methods: A cross-sectional survey with 156 patients and 134 physicians working in Internal Medicine hospital departments was performed. Physicians completed a survey evaluating their working conditions and job satisfaction. Patients assessed quality of medical care and treatment and their satisfaction with being a patient in this Internal Medicine department. Results: 72% of the patients were satisfied with performed medical treatment and services in their department.Physicians’ job satisfaction and working conditions were rated with moderate scores. Bivariate analyses showed correlations between patients’ satisfaction and physicians’ job satisfaction and working conditions. Strongest correlations were found between kindness of medical staff, treatment outcome and overall patient satisfaction. Conclusion: This study demonstrates strong associations between physicians’ working conditions and patient satisfaction. Based on these results hospital management should improve work organization, workload and job resources to not only improve physicians’ job satisfaction but also quality of medical treatment and patient satisfaction in Internal Medicine departments.

job satisfaction - quality of medical care - patient satisfaction - working conditions