PATIENT SATISFACTION: A Case Study of a South African Teaching Clinic

Patient satisfaction is a pre-requisite to successful clinical practice. While an efficacious treatment is an important consideration, other variables are recognized to contribute to clinical satisfaction. This case study of a South African teaching clinic identifies and compares variables perceived as essential, important and unnecessary by chiropractic students and their patients. Method: A case study of the chiropractic student clinic at Technikon Natal was undertaken. A non-random sample of chiropractic patients and student clinicians were requested to respond to a questionnaire. Participants were requested to select 12 from a total of 27 closed questions and allocate 4 items to each of the three listed categories. Results: Forty-three(43) patients and 17 student clinicians completed the questionnaire. Behavoiurs considered essential to chiropractic practice largely focused on listening carefully to the patient’s description of their problem and explaining how the problem could be avoided in the future. Patients and student clinicians were also agreed about the relative importance of the duration of the clinical consultation, the necessity for patients to choose how they wish to be treated and the desirability of a narrow/broad focus on the patient’s problem. Conclusions: The importance of providing an understandable and comprehensive clinical discussion about the patient’s problem emerged in both this and a similar Australian Study. It is suggested that competence in communication skills be considered as an integral component of the undergraduate chiropractic curriculum.