Posters
Presenting Author Academic/Professional Position
Medical Student
Academic Level (Author 1)
Medical Student
Academic Level (Author 2)
Medical Student
Academic Level (Author 3)
Medical Student
Presentation Type
Poster
Discipline Track
Patient Care
Abstract Type
Research/Clinical
Abstract
Background: The Net Promoter Score (NPS) is a widely used tool for measuring customer satisfaction and loyalty through a simple question: “How likely are you to recommend [company name] to a friend or colleague?” Responses categorize individuals as Promoters (9–10), Passives (7–8), or Detractors (0–6), with the final score calculated by subtracting the percentage of Detractors from Promoters. Introduced in 2003, NPS has become popular across industries for its simplicity, predictive value, and benchmarking capabilities. In healthcare, NPS adoption is increasing as hospitals seek concise, standardized tools to assess patient satisfaction—an essential metric in the shift toward value-based care. By providing an easily interpretable score, NPS offers a practical way to emphasize patient-centered outcomes, enabling physicians to improve patient experiences. This study evaluates the utility of NPS as a tool for assessing satisfaction in surgical patients, where accurate and actionable feedback is critical.
Methods: Researchers evaluated de-identified survey data collected by a health maintenance organization that offers cash pay bundled surgeries. Patients were sent a survey 120 days after surgery for NPS feedback. Responses were recorded on a scale from 0 to 10 (Not at all likely – Extremely likely). The responses of 439 patients (2021-2023) were collected. Scores were calculated by subtracting the percentage of detractors from the percentage of promoters.
Results: Researchers observed a calculated NPS of 88.2 of which 400 were promoters, 26 were passives, and 13 were detractors. Carpal tunnel patients demonstrated a NPS of 100 (n = 20), hernia patients demonstrated a NPS of 100 (n = 36, promoters: 31, passives: 5), and knee meniscus patients demonstrated a NPS of 100 (n = 23). Interestingly, knee replacement patients demonstrated a NPS of 71 (n = 14: passives: 12, detractors: 2).
Conclusion: Identifying areas of patient dissatisfaction allows organizations to address potential gaps in care. For example, lower scores in knee replacement surgeries could highlight the need for better pain management protocols. Transparency is essential in healthcare to foster trust and ensure high quality care. Recent legislation mandates the public reporting of Hip Disability and Osteoarthritis Outcomes Score for Joint Replacement (HOOS JR) and Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score for Joint Replacement (KOOS JR), however, these metrics may be challenging to fully grasp for patients with low health literacy. The NPS score, however, offers a straightforward numerical value. As the transition to value-based care continues, standardized tools like NPS can streamline patient satisfaction measurement, enabling comparisons across providers and institutions. By adopting NPS, healthcare systems can enhance quality assurance and prioritize patient-centered care, ultimately optimizing the healthcare experience. Although the study's reliance on data from a single organization and smaller sample sizes may limit the generalizability of the findings, the potential of NPS as a tool for improving patient care remains promising.
Recommended Citation
Bonilla, Paul; Elizondo, Victoria; and Flanagan, Juan Pablo, "Assessing Patient Satisfaction: The Role of Net Promoter Scores in Healthcare" (2025). Research Symposium. 125.
https://scholarworks.utrgv.edu/somrs/2025/posters/125
Included in
Assessing Patient Satisfaction: The Role of Net Promoter Scores in Healthcare
Background: The Net Promoter Score (NPS) is a widely used tool for measuring customer satisfaction and loyalty through a simple question: “How likely are you to recommend [company name] to a friend or colleague?” Responses categorize individuals as Promoters (9–10), Passives (7–8), or Detractors (0–6), with the final score calculated by subtracting the percentage of Detractors from Promoters. Introduced in 2003, NPS has become popular across industries for its simplicity, predictive value, and benchmarking capabilities. In healthcare, NPS adoption is increasing as hospitals seek concise, standardized tools to assess patient satisfaction—an essential metric in the shift toward value-based care. By providing an easily interpretable score, NPS offers a practical way to emphasize patient-centered outcomes, enabling physicians to improve patient experiences. This study evaluates the utility of NPS as a tool for assessing satisfaction in surgical patients, where accurate and actionable feedback is critical.
Methods: Researchers evaluated de-identified survey data collected by a health maintenance organization that offers cash pay bundled surgeries. Patients were sent a survey 120 days after surgery for NPS feedback. Responses were recorded on a scale from 0 to 10 (Not at all likely – Extremely likely). The responses of 439 patients (2021-2023) were collected. Scores were calculated by subtracting the percentage of detractors from the percentage of promoters.
Results: Researchers observed a calculated NPS of 88.2 of which 400 were promoters, 26 were passives, and 13 were detractors. Carpal tunnel patients demonstrated a NPS of 100 (n = 20), hernia patients demonstrated a NPS of 100 (n = 36, promoters: 31, passives: 5), and knee meniscus patients demonstrated a NPS of 100 (n = 23). Interestingly, knee replacement patients demonstrated a NPS of 71 (n = 14: passives: 12, detractors: 2).
Conclusion: Identifying areas of patient dissatisfaction allows organizations to address potential gaps in care. For example, lower scores in knee replacement surgeries could highlight the need for better pain management protocols. Transparency is essential in healthcare to foster trust and ensure high quality care. Recent legislation mandates the public reporting of Hip Disability and Osteoarthritis Outcomes Score for Joint Replacement (HOOS JR) and Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score for Joint Replacement (KOOS JR), however, these metrics may be challenging to fully grasp for patients with low health literacy. The NPS score, however, offers a straightforward numerical value. As the transition to value-based care continues, standardized tools like NPS can streamline patient satisfaction measurement, enabling comparisons across providers and institutions. By adopting NPS, healthcare systems can enhance quality assurance and prioritize patient-centered care, ultimately optimizing the healthcare experience. Although the study's reliance on data from a single organization and smaller sample sizes may limit the generalizability of the findings, the potential of NPS as a tool for improving patient care remains promising.
