Patients Satisfaction in Cleveland Clinic - Research Proposal Example

Patients Satisfaction in Cleveland Clinic Table of Contents 3 Introduction 4 Methodology 5 Data analysis 6 Timeline 6 Research Expectations 7 Reference List 8 Abstract Satisfied patients lead to increasing the goodwill and the popularity of a hospital. Taking care of the health of patients is a highly sensitive area as even a minor error may put the lives of many at stake. Hence Hospitals must ensure that all efforts are exercised to provide safe and adequate care for patients. The current paper analyses the patient satisfaction levels existing for The Cleveland Clinic. The Cleveland Clinic is a well known hospital service provider of the U.S. The brand has recently expanded their services into the Middle East, at Abu Dhabi. Although the hospital services at Abu Dhabi are still at the expansion stage, the current research facilitates understanding the areas where the hospital is lacking when it comes to meeting the satisfaction level of patients. Additionally, it also points out what patients like about the hospital so that those factors can be improved upon. Introduction The Cleveland Clinic is a multi specialty hospital as well as an academic medical centre whose headquarters are located in the state of Ohio, the U.S. It is one of the premier hospitals of the U.S catering to the health needs of millions of patients. The hospital was established in the year 1921. The prime objective of the facility is to provide medical research, patient care and medical education. The clinic has been set up in Abu Dhabi as a partnership between the Mubadala Development Company and The Cleveland Clinic (The Cleveland Clinic, 2015). At Abu Dhabi facility, the clinic is still under construction. The primary area of specialty of this facility is in eye care. The centre would also provide treatment related to cardiology, neurology, digestive diseases, respiratory ailments, pathology and a few other medical and surgical specialties. In Abu Dhabi, the facility would also function as a medical institute specializing in a number of research and medical study areas. What sets The Cleveland Clinic apart from other clinics of Abu Dhabi is their specialty in the area of patient care and safety (The Cleveland Clinic, 2015). There is also a special institute which has been established specifically for providing specialized training in this area. Currently, The Cleveland Clinic at Abu Dhabi mainly provides eye treatment facilitates. Other sections of the clinic are yet to begin their services. Once all departments of the hospital begin functioning, the firm expects to house five floors of clinic and three diagnostic and treatment levels. Additionally there would be thirteen floors utilized for providing patient care. The facility would have 364 beds and additional space for operations and clinical simulations (The Cleveland Clinic, 2015). The present study incorporates analyzing patient satisfaction. For hospitals across the world, patient care has remained crucial. Patients, who receive good services from a hospital, pass on the information which results in enhancing the footfall and the goodwill of the hospital. Hospitals rely on the opinions and the word of mouth of patients to enhance their customer preference. Moreover, being in the hospitality sector, caring about the comfort given to patients is a crucial aspect for achieving success. Moreover, health related services are required to be carefully executed as even a minor carelessness may be harmful for patients health. For such reasons, hospitals across the globe invest much time and effort towards understanding patient satisfaction and take continuous efforts towards improving the same. For The Cleveland Clinic, patient satisfaction is a part of their organizational mission and vision. The hospital puts much emphasis on the quality of their services and continuously train employees and staff members to work dedicatedly towards improvement of patient care (Meterko, Mohr and Young, 2004). Methodology The current paper incorporates both quantitative and qualitative technique of analysis. The subject matter of the current study is related to measuring patient satisfaction which is a qualitative area of study. Using the qualitative technique, the data collected from different sources would be analyzed theoretically (Kumar and Phrommathed, 2005). The paper also incorporates quantitative data analysis by using software’s such as SPSS. Using statistical techniques would help in summarizing the data and reach logical conclusions (Kothari, 2011). Both primary and secondary data collection techniques have been incorporated for meeting the objectives of the paper. Under the primary data collection technique, the researcher would conduct a questionnaire survey. The survey would be conducted on the patients who visit The Cleveland Clinic as well as the patients of some other nearby hospital. Questionnaires would also be distributed to respondents using the online medium (Newman, 1998). The researcher incorporates cluster sampling technique. The cluster sampling technique would facilitate in identifying the target population who are essentially patients and hospital staff member. The primary source of data collection is considered to be highly reliable as the researcher himself takes effort and acquires the same (Marczyk, DeMatteo and Festinger, 2005). Moreover, primary data is seen to be more specific to the subject matter of the paper. The researcher also incorporates secondary techniques of data collection by accessing information from different newspapers, journals and websites publications. Although secondary data is not as reliable as primary, but they are required to be essentially incorporated in the research work so as to provide adequate theoretical support to the research paper (Berg, H. Lune and H. Lune, 2004). Secondary data incorporates referring to the work of a number of scholars and accordingly formulating suitable literary frameworks which supports the paper. Furthermore, in order to meet the overall theoretical requirements of a paper, it becomes essential to rely upon secondary data as all the required information for meeting the research objectives cannot be met only through primary data analysis. Secondary data also facilitates looking into what previous researchers had stated regarding the subject matter and understand the uniqueness or the gaps in the research work (Taylor and Bogdan, 1998). The inductive approach, which has been followed in the current study, incorporates formulation of research questions and narrowing down the scope of study through analysis based on the set questions. The inductive approach is usually undertaken when the objective of the paper is to identify a situation or a phenomenon and draw conclusion based on the factors observed (Robson, 2002). It does not incorporate proving an already established theory. Since the subject matter of the current research is analytical, the inductive approach is seen to be most suited. The current paper is based on the interpretative philosophy which upholds the concept that management world is too complicated to understand. The interpretative philosophy provides much scope to the researcher to understand the subject matter on the basis of the level of knowledge, understanding and the access to different data. Hence as per the interpretative philosophy, the same research work may generate diverse conclusions based upon the knowledge and understanding of the researcher. It does not limit itself to set philosophies and theories of previous scholars (Gomm, 2008). Data analysis The paper incorporates utilizing both qualitative and quantitative research techniques. Information procured from the primary sources is mainly used for conducting statistical analysis. The responses received through the questionnaire survey are structured properly so that statistical analysis using the SPSS software is facilitated. The results are then analyzed and explained in coherence with information procured through secondary analysis. Accordingly, suitable conclusions and recommendations are formulated (Creswell, 2002). The paper adopts a pragmatic approach whereby both qualitative and quantitative approaches are adopted. This approach is expected to provide greater dynamicity in terms of analyzing the paper. In order to fulfil the scope of the paper through suitable data analysis, the researcher must ensure that the sources from where the data has been collected are reliable. In the current paper, the researcher utilizes the descriptive statistics technique for interpreting the information acquired through the questionnaire survey. The questions framed in the questionnaire survey are close ended. This ensures that the respondent’s directions of opinion are limited to the options provided (Pinsonneault and Kraemer, 1993). Timeline Research Breakdown April May June July August Preparation and submission of research proposal. Completion of introductory and literature review chapters. Expanding on the methodology chapter, collection of data and its presentation. Submission of the first draft of the paper. Corrections of first draft and developing final chapters (data analysis and conclusion) Submission of second draft. Final corrections and submission of final paper. Research Expectations The purpose of the current paper is to understand the satisfaction level of patients who have availed services at The Cleveland Clinic. The research area focuses on understanding the different factors which patients take into consideration while rating the care and other facilities provided at hospitals. A questionnaire survey on the patients and the staff members at The Cleveland Clinic and few from other hospitals has been carried out to meet the objectives of the research. The research techniques have been formulated in a manner such that the objectives of the paper can be met. Accordingly, a pragmatic approach has been taken into consideration. All efforts taken by the researcher are directed towards understating the importance of patient care and satisfaction delivery mediums at hospitals. The paper, based on the conducted analysis concludes whether The Cleveland Clinic has been successful at providing satisfactory patient care. Suitable recommendations are also provided in respect of how The Cleveland Clinic can enhance their patient care services. Reference List Berg, B. L., Lune, H. and Lune, H., 2004. Qualitative research methods for the social sciences. Boston: Pearson. Creswell, J. W., 2002. Educational research: Planning, conducting, and evaluating quantitative. New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Gomm, R., 2008. Social research methodology: A critical introduction. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. Kothari, C. R., 2011. Research methodology: methods and techniques. New Delhi: New Age International. Kumar, S. and Phrommathed, P., 2005. Research methodology. New York: Springer. Marczyk, G., DeMatteo, D. and Festinger, D., 2005. Essentials of research design and methodology. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons Inc. Meterko, M., Mohr, D. C. and Young, G. J., 2004. Teamwork culture and patient satisfaction in hospitals. Medical care, 42(5), pp. 492-498. Newman, I., 1998. Qualitative-quantitative research methodology: Exploring the interactive continuum. Illinois: SIU Press. Pinsonneault, A. and Kraemer, K. L., 1993. Survey research methodology in management information systems: an assessment. Journal of management information systems, 1(1), pp. 75-105. Robson, C., 2002. Real world research. Oxford: Blackwell publishers. Taylor, S. J. and Bogdan, R., 1998. Introduction to qualitative research methods: A guidebook and resource . New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons Inc. The Cleveland Clinic, 2015. About Us. [online] Available at: [Accessed 31 March 2015]. Read More