A study presented at Digestive Disease Week 2017 examined patient satisfaction with irritable bowel syndrome treatment.
Senior study author and University of Buffalo (N.Y.) professor Jeffrey Lackner and colleagues examined 483 patients with IBS and surveyed them on their satisfaction.
Here's what they found.
1. Approximately 16 percent of participants were "very satisfied" with prior care for their digestive problems, 42 percent thought their care was average and 42 percent thought their care was below average.
2. Researchers found that patient's satisfaction related to factors other than IBS severity or IBS symptom duration.
3. Researchers also found the more diagnostic tests a physician performed correlated to higher patient satisfaction.
4. Researchers believe when a gastroenterologist reassures a patient on IBS' non-life threatening nature, their satisfaction rises.
Researchers concluded, that "gastroenterologists may be at a disadvantage in reimbursement schemes that focus on patient satisfaction ratings that can be influenced by non-digestive health factors."
Digestive Disease Week was May 6 to May 9 in Chicago.