Purpose of review: This is a literature review of the measurement of patient satisfaction in musculoskeletal medicine. Its purpose is to better understand the motivation for such measurements, the potential confounders, and the potential physician behaviors that may modulate such measures.
Recent findings: There have been studies documenting that physician conveyance of empathy, the extent to which patients' expectations for pain control and timeliness of care are met, as well as patient demographics and health status all affect the current measures of patient satisfaction. In the mission to affect patient-centered care are met, musculoskeletal providers will be measured by their patients' satisfaction. There is much yet to be understood regarding patients' expectations of care; the science behind case-mix adjustment in this sphere is in its infancy, but there are some compelling reasons for musculoskeletal providers to attempt to optimize their patients' satisfaction.
Keywords: Orthopedic care; Outcomes; Patient satisfaction; Patient-centered care.