Academic

“Waiting to see the doctor is not like waiting in line for a fun ride at Disney World,” says Oren Gottfried, a professor in the neurosurgery department at Duke University School of Medicine and senior author of a study in the Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine.

A comprehensive, 15-month assessment of the patient experience in the Duke Spine Center demonstrates that longer waiting times have a measurable negative effect on patient satisfaction and on the overall perception of the patient-physician encounter.

“Oren Gottfried, MD, is president of the North Carolina Spine Society as well as professor of neurosurgery and clinical vice chair of quality in the department of neurosurgery at Duke University School of Medicine in Durham, N.C.”

“Dr. Oren Gottfried is Professor of Neurosurgery and Orthopaedic Surgery at Duke University.”

This activity is intended for neurologists, pain medicine specialists, physiatrists, and physicians who care for patients before and after cervical spine surgery.

Quality improvement programs in neurosurgery can improve documentation and decrease mortality, according to an analysis published by Duke investigators in December 2017 in Neurosurgery.

Durham, N.C.-based Duke Health researchers assessed the impact of a one-page form given to patients prior to their appointments.

“A simple, one-page form given to patients ahead of their doctor visit can significantly improve satisfaction with the care they receive, according to a study by Duke Health researchers.”

The Triangle, long known as a hub for world-class health care, is home to three surgeons who rank in the top 1 percent of doctors in their surgical specialty, according to data released to The News & Observer.