How can vascular access affect patient satisfaction in hospitals?

A patient’s experience with vascular access can influence their perception of their overall hospital stay and satisfaction with their healthcare providers and institutions.¹ 

To better understand the effects of vascular access on patient satisfaction in hospitals, Prasad et al. conducted a survey to over 500 patients who had received two or more peripheral intravenous catheter (PIVC) insertions during their stay at private and public hospitals in Singapore and the Philippines.¹ 

The survey was designed to explore the drivers of patient satisfaction in hospitals based on their perception of five key domains of vascular access care:¹ 

1. Pain management 
2. Infection prevention measures 
3. Healthcare provider competence 
4. Physical comfort  
5. Effectiveness of communication 

Patient satisfaction in hospitals and successful PIVC insertion 

Patients from both Singapore and the Philippines who were very satisfied/satisfied with their vascular access experience similarly ranked their overall hospital experience.¹ 

In fact, 70% patients agreed that their vascular access experience had a moderate-to-very-high impact on their overall hospital stay.¹ 

Healthcare provider competence, infection prevention and pain management ranked as the most important determinants of patient satisfaction.¹ 

Among the 400 patients across both countries who experienced successful first PIVC insertion attempts, 282 were very/extremely confident in their healthcare provider’s ability.¹ 

Learn more about vascular access and patient satisfaction: Improving patient experiences by understanding infusate properties and their effects on vasculature

Patient satisfaction in hospitals and vascular access complications 

One study shows that patients frequently characterised the PIVC insertion as painful, uncomfortable and anxiety-inducing, and the Prasad study confirms this.^1,2 

Patient satisfaction in pain management was ranked lowest among the five domains, with an average score of 3.89 out of 5, followed by infection prevention measures.¹ 

As well, patients were more likely to lose trust in their healthcare providers and express anxiety if they experienced multiple needle insertion attempts or PIVC-related complications.¹ These complications also led to lower satisfaction levels.¹ 

Learn more about the risks of vascular access: What is the real cost of vascular access-related complications? 

How to improve patient satisfaction in hospitals through vascular access 

The Prasad et al. survey highlights the importance of enhancing vascular access skills among healthcare providers to improve patient satisfaction and experience in hospitals.¹ 

For Singapore and the Philippines, Prasad et al. suggest implementing a continuous process of staff collaboration, skills assessment and education opportunities, as this approach is associated with improvement in first-attempt venous access success and complication rate reductions.^1,3 

Among these initiatives, institutions should also address the other major factors that impact patient satisfaction, specifically effective pain management and stringent infection prevention measures.¹ 

References