Report: Patients' emotional needs unmet

SOUTH BEND, Ind., March 19 (UPI) -- Patients think U.S. hospitals should respond to concerns and complaints, address emotional needs and include them in treatment decisions, a report found.

This year's Hospital Pulse Report: Patient Perspectives on American Healthcare, by Press Ganey Associates, Inc., a provider of improvement services, examined the experiences of more than 2.7 million patients treated at nearly 2,000 hospitals nationwide in 2007.

Patients ages 65 to 79 were the most satisfied age group, with patients with ages 35 to 49 the least satisfied, the report said.

Obstetrics/Gynecology patients were the most satisfied among the major specialties, followed by intensive care and cardiology/coronary. Wichita, Kan., is the metro area with highest patient satisfaction, followed by Columbia, S.C., Oklahoma City, Indianapolis and Miami.

"In today's healthcare landscape, patient-centered care is a business imperative for hospitals," Dr. Melvin Hall, president and chief executive officer of Press Ganey, said in a statement. "Those who continually improve the patient experience know that the benefits have a direct impact on the bottom line."

The 2008 Hospital Pulse Report: Patient Perspectives on American Healthcare is available at http://www.pressganey.com/cs/pressroom.