Patient satisfaction and chiropractic clinic style: A cross sectional survey

Introduction

When comparing satisfaction studies of medical and chiropractic back pain care, chiropractic care does better than medical care overall. Treatment length may be a contributing factor as may treatment frequency. There is no current literature that compares chiropractic styles and satisfaction, therefore inter-satisfaction differences between the various styles of chiropractic practice is not known. An understanding of these factors is a key part of increasing patient satisfaction and confidence.

Methods

The study design was a cross sectional survey. A self-administered questionnaire was mailed out to a number of pre-recruited chiropractic clinics in varying locations in the UK. The questionnaires were completed anonymously by the patients in these clinics.

Results

A total of 186/250 valid questionnaires were received, giving a response rate of 75%. Most respondents attended chiropractic clinics for the treatment of back pain. The results showed some clear and important opinions regarding treatment length and frequency. Overall satisfaction and quality of life scores were highest in clinics with treatments times over 20 min. In addition clinics practising wellness care had lower satisfaction scores with higher frequency of care, than those with less frequent care sessions.

Conclusion

The results would imply more emphasis is placed on patient choice for treatment frequency. This element, along with less frequency, may optimise satisfaction. The results of this study have shown that patient satisfaction is influenced by different chiropractic styles, but further studies are required to clarify a wider range of variables.