A recent study showed that patient ratings of the quality of care amenity-laden hospitals are not higher than in less plush facilities, according to an article on the Healthcare Finance News website.
For decades, hospital executives across the country have justified expensive renovation and expansion projects by saying they will lead to better patient reviews and recommendations. One study estimated $200 billion might have been spent over a decade on new building, the article said.
A study published recently by the Journal of Hospital Medicine, examined how patient satisfaction scores changed when doctors started practicing in the new tower, which has 355 beds and units for neurology, cardiology, radiology, labor and delivery and other specialties.
The study revealed for the most part, patients’ assessments of the quality of the clinical care they received did not improve any more than they did for patients treated in the older Hopkins building, which had remained open.