The Patient Feedback Instrument

The Practice Accreditation and Improvement Survey (PAIS) provides doctors and practice managers with structured patient feedback.

The PAIS report provides results that include written comments from patients, statistical summary sheet, three to four tables, and three graphs. The results are presented in a simple format that provides, at a glance, information to doctors and practice managers on structured patient feedback.

The questionnaire has been structured to gain patient feedback on the actual practice (questions 1 - 8), the doctors seen during the consultation (questions 9 - 20), the practice staff (questions 21 - 23), and continuing health checks (questions 23-26).

In this way, the practice will receive an overall picture of the total clinic experience of the patient.

Validity and reliability of instrument’s design and methodology

PAIS was designed from a number of sources, such as a review of the international literature, input from consumer focus groups, GPs and consultation with international researcher, Dr John Ware.

Administrative ease for patients and general practices

PAIS is administered by the receptionist to between 50 and 200 consecutive patients (dependent upon the number of doctors within the practice). The questionnaire contains only 27 items which are rated by patients and it takes about 3-5 minutes to complete. This survey incorporates the Doctors’ Interpersonal Skills Questionnaire (DISQ) (questions 9-20), presently administered by CFEP within the RACGP QA & CPD Program. Doctors and receptionists have found that this survey is readily understood and easily administered.

Results from patient responses are aggregated and presented in graphic format to the practice according to various patient characteristics such as gender and number of previous visits. Comments from patients are also provided anonymously. Table 4 provides the required information for AGPAL and other accreditation surveyors.

Language Support

PAIS is now also available in Chinese (Mandarin) and Arabic.

There is also a Clinical Audit option available. Individual results packages are provided for each doctor participating and upon completion of the GP report are awarded 40 Category 1 Clinical Audit points.