While doctors strive to make their patients happy,
the growing trend in healthcare toward “pay-forperformance”
underscores the need to achieve patient
satisfaction in the practice of medicine. Among other
benefits, improved medication adherence and overall
better outcomes are associated with patients’ satisfaction
with their physicians (1,2). A variety of factors
affect how patients perceive their doctors, and it is
difficult to know where one stands without asking.
When patient satisfaction is measured, however, it can
be difficult to get an unbiased response.