▁not , ▁there ▁are ▁circumstances ▁in ▁which ▁patient ▁satisfaction ▁is ▁not ▁a ▁valid ▁indicator ▁of ▁health ▁care ▁quality ▁even ▁though ▁it ▁is ▁often ▁used ▁as ▁such . ▁ ▁Many ▁studies ▁have ▁failed ▁to ▁identify ▁a ▁relationship ▁between ▁patient ▁satisfaction ▁and ▁health ▁care ▁quality . ▁ ▁Fact ors ▁influen cing ▁patient ▁satisfaction ▁Pat ients ' ▁satisfaction ▁with ▁an ▁encounter ▁with ▁health ▁care ▁service ▁is ▁mainly ▁dependent ▁on ▁the ▁duration ▁and ▁efficiency ▁of ▁care , ▁and ▁how ▁em path etic ▁and ▁communic ative ▁the ▁health ▁care ▁prov iders ▁are . ▁It ▁is ▁fav ored ▁by ▁a ▁good ▁doctor - pat ient ▁relationship . ▁Also , ▁patients ▁who ▁are ▁well - in formed ▁of ▁the ▁necessary ▁procedures ▁in ▁a ▁clin ical ▁encounter , ▁and ▁the ▁time ▁it ▁is ▁expected ▁to ▁take , ▁are ▁generally ▁more ▁satisfied ▁even ▁if ▁there ▁is ▁a ▁longer ▁waiting ▁time . ▁Another ▁critical ▁factor ▁influen cing ▁patient ▁satisfaction ▁is ▁the ▁job ▁satisfaction ▁experienced ▁by ▁the ▁care - provider . ▁ ▁By ▁region ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁United ▁States , ▁hosp it als ▁whose ▁surg ery ▁patients ▁reported ▁being ▁highly ▁satisfied ▁also ▁performed ▁higher ▁quality ▁surg ical ▁procedures . ▁The ▁imp lication ▁of ▁this ▁is ▁that ▁there ▁does ▁not ▁need ▁to ▁be ▁trade - off ▁between ▁high ▁patient ▁satisfaction ▁and ▁quality ▁patient ▁care . ▁ ▁The ▁Cons umer ▁Ass ess ment ▁of ▁Health care ▁Pro viders ▁and ▁Systems ▁or ▁CA HP S ▁survey ▁is ▁an ▁on going ▁research ▁project ▁to ▁guide ▁the ▁development ▁of ▁consumer ▁surve ys ▁being ▁used ▁assess ▁the ▁quality ▁of ▁care