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NIHPA Author Manuscripts logoLink to NIHPA Author Manuscripts
. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2016 Mar 22.
Published in final edited form as: Pain Med. 2013 Jun 11;14(7):968. doi: 10.1111/pme.12170

Autonomy vs Paternalism in the Emergency Department: The Potential Deleterious Impact of Patient Satisfaction Surveys

Monica K Wattana 1, Knox H Todd 1
PMCID: PMC4803281  NIHMSID: NIHMS767081  PMID: 23758676

Abstract

Patient satisfaction surveys, such as Press Ganey, are flawed metrics for the emergency department setting and also in broader pain medicine. National experts discuss the pitfalls of applying such measures in pain care, and the potential unintended negative consequences to patients and providers alike. Evaluators, administrators, and payers are challenged to understand the limitations of Press Ganey and patient satisfactions in pain treatment, and the field is challenged to develop meaningful and valid metrics for best practices and competencies.

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