Restoring shoulder function and ensuring that a patient is satisfied with their shoulder replacement and recovery is a top priority with Dr. Holloway and his team. We do everything in our power to achieve high patient satisfaction scores, and we’re not the only ones interested in learning more about how we can leave a patient feeling satisfied with their procedure. Recently, researchers at the Cleveland Clinic conducted a study to learn more about what drives patient satisfaction after shoulder replacement surgery. We take a closer look at those results in today’s blog on patient satisfaction after shoulder replacement.
What Makes For A Happy Patient After Shoulder Surgery?
To get a better understanding of what drives patient satisfaction after shoulder replacement, researchers examined more than 1,000 patients who had primary shoulder replacement at their clinic. They reviewed Penn Shoulder Scores, which assessed for pain, function, satisfaction both before surgery and one year after surgery. Average Penn Shoulder Scores improved significantly for patient groups after surgery, however the team identified three factors that most strongly impacted shoulder scores one year after surgery. They were:
- Right Procedure For Underlying Issues – Researchers uncovered that relative to patients undergoing reverse total shoulder replacement as a result of glenohumeral osterarthritis, scores were higher for patients who underwent a standard total shoulder replacement. Similar results were seen for patients who underwent reverse shoulder replacement for rotator cuff arthropathy compared to those who underwent a standard shoulder replacement, suggesting the importance of matching a replacement procedure to specific patient needs.
- Mental Health Matters – Penn Shoulder Scores were higher in patients who had better preoperative mental health, suggesting the importance of mental health screening and counseling prior to shoulder replacement surgery.
- Insurance Status – Penn Shoulder Scores were significantly lower for patients who were undergoing shoulder replacement with workers’ compensation insurance compared to those with private insurance, suggesting patients were more likely to be frustrated with their work injury or their workers’ compensation claim.
So while we can’t control whether you’re visiting our clinic because of a work injury or a shoulder problem that slowly developed over the years, we do take the time with each patient to really get to understand the issues they are facing to match the right treatment to their unique needs. Moreover, we also talk with each patient about their mental health to ensure they are both physically and mentally able to handle the burden of shoulder replacement and the associated recovery. These factors, combined with other efforts to make the patient feel comfortable and confident in their surgery and recovery, really help us keep satisfaction rates high among our patient base.
So if you’d like to put our team to the test for your shoulder issue, trust Dr. Holloway and his team for your care. For more information on how we can help, or to set up your first appointment with our team, give Dr. Holloway’s office a call today at (865) 410-7887.
