Evaluation of Patient Experience in a Private Hospital in Costa Rica-A Retrospective Study.

Abstract

This study evaluated patient experience in a private hospital in Costa Rica using the Picker Patient Experience Questionnaire-33 (PPE-33). A digital survey administered via Qualtrics^® targeted patients treated in emergency, surgical, or inpatient units between November 2024 and February 2025. A total of 567 valid responses were analyzed, exceeding the required sample size. The mean PPE-33 score indicated a satisfaction rate of 67.6%. The lowest-rated dimension was Patient Rights (27.9%), with few patients reporting being informed about their rights. In comparison, higher scores were observed for patient information (90.4%) and for confidentiality, privacy, pain management, and care (82.0%). Statistically significant differences were observed only by occupational status (p = .0122), with no variation by sex, age, educational level, or marital status. The emergency department consistently showed the lowest ratings across several dimensions. Overall, the findings highlight strengths and persistent gaps in patient-centered care and support the use of digital surveys as a feasible tool for monitoring patient experience and guiding quality improvement efforts in similar private hospital settings.