Prehospital emergency care patient satisfaction scale [PECPSS] for care provided by emergency medical teams: Scale development and validation

Junpei Haruna; Nobuyasu Hayasaka; Yukiko Taguchi; Saori Muranaka; Sachi Niiyama; Hirotoshi Inamura; Shuji Uemura; Keigo Sawamoto; Hirotoshi Mizuno; Nobuaki Himuro; Eichi Narimatsu; Junpei Haruna; Nobuyasu Hayasaka; Yukiko Taguchi; Saori Muranaka; Sachi Niiyama; Hirotoshi Inamura; Shuji Uemura; Keigo Sawamoto; Hirotoshi Mizuno; Nobuaki Himuro; Eichi Narimatsu

doi:10.3934/publichealth.2023011

AIMS Public Health

2023, Volume 10, Issue 1: 129-144. doi: 10.3934/publichealth.2023011

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Research article

Prehospital emergency care patient satisfaction scale [PECPSS] for care provided by emergency medical teams: Scale development and validation

1.
Department of Intensive Care Medicine, School of Medicine, Sapporo Medical University, South-1, West-16, Chuo-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 060–8543, Japan
2.
Emergency Sector of Ebetsu City Fire Department, Yoyogicho, 80–8, Nopporo, Hokkaido, 069–0817, Japan
3.
Department of Nursing, School of Health Sciences, Sapporo Medical University, South-1, West-17, Chuo-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 060–8556, Japan
4.
Department of Advanced Critical Care and Emergency Center, Sapporo Medical University Hospital, South-1, West-16, Chuo-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 060–8543, Japan
5.
Department of Pharmacy, Sapporo Medical University Hospital, South-1, West-16, Chuo-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 060–8543, Japan
6.
Department of Emergency Medicine, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, South 1, West 16, Chuo-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 060–8543, Japan
7.
Department of Public Health, School of Medicine, Sapporo Medical University, Sapporo, Japan
8.
Department of Emergency Medical Services, Life Flight and Disaster medicine, Sapporo Medical University, South 1, West 16, Chuo-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 060–8543, Japan

Received: 01 November 2022 Revised: 28 January 2023 Accepted: 21 February 2023 Published: 01 March 2023

The purpose of this study was to develop and validate an emergency medical technician (EMT) care patient satisfaction scale to measure patient satisfaction with prehospital emergency care. To date, patient satisfaction surveys of EMTs have been performed subjectively, e using each facility's questionnaire, without the use of a validated patient satisfaction scale. However, no specific scale has been devised to assess patient satisfaction with EMTs. The study population comprised patients who used an ambulance between November 2020 and May 2021 (N = 202). A survey instrument was administered to participants who provided informed consent. In the process of validating the patient satisfaction scale, an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) of construct validity was performed. The results of the EFA showed a factor structure consisting of five factors: “teamwork”, “explanation and communication”, “physical treatment and psychological support”, “quickness of transport”, and “environment in the ambulance”. In addition, domain and summary scores showed good internal reliability (Cronbach's range = 0.82–0.94). The patient satisfaction scale developed in this study was designed and validated considering the role of EMTs and patients' needs for prehospital care. This scale may be useful in the development of assessments and interventions to improve patient satisfaction with EMTs.
- patient satisfaction scale,
- prehospital care,
- emergency medical technicians,
- scale development,
- scale validation,
- exploratory factor analysis,
- ambulance care
Citation: Junpei Haruna, Nobuyasu Hayasaka, Yukiko Taguchi, Saori Muranaka, Sachi Niiyama, Hirotoshi Inamura, Shuji Uemura, Keigo Sawamoto, Hirotoshi Mizuno, Nobuaki Himuro, Eichi Narimatsu. Prehospital emergency care patient satisfaction scale [PECPSS] for care provided by emergency medical teams: Scale development and validation[J]. AIMS Public Health, 2023, 10(1): 129-144. doi: 10.3934/publichealth.2023011

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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to develop and validate an emergency medical technician (EMT) care patient satisfaction scale to measure patient satisfaction with prehospital emergency care. To date, patient satisfaction surveys of EMTs have been performed subjectively, e using each facility's questionnaire, without the use of a validated patient satisfaction scale. However, no specific scale has been devised to assess patient satisfaction with EMTs. The study population comprised patients who used an ambulance between November 2020 and May 2021 (N = 202). A survey instrument was administered to participants who provided informed consent. In the process of validating the patient satisfaction scale, an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) of construct validity was performed. The results of the EFA showed a factor structure consisting of five factors: “teamwork”, “explanation and communication”, “physical treatment and psychological support”, “quickness of transport”, and “environment in the ambulance”. In addition, domain and summary scores showed good internal reliability (Cronbach's range = 0.82–0.94). The patient satisfaction scale developed in this study was designed and validated considering the role of EMTs and patients' needs for prehospital care. This scale may be useful in the development of assessments and interventions to improve patient satisfaction with EMTs.

Acknowledgments

We thank the Ebetsu City Fire Department for their cooperation in the survey. This project received the Emergency Medical Services Foundation grant. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, the decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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