xRead Article 1 - Electronic Consults in Otolaryngology

conclusions on such a small percentage of the population is an issue, either positively in the case of Paci " c Islanders, or negatively in the case of African Americans. It is unclear whether this population is a representative sample of our clinic population, or whether there is a disproportionately high non-response rate in minority populations. Ongoing research is needed in order to determine whether these " ndings have true signi " cance about patient treatment in clinic and require further investigation and action. Racial disparities have become increasingly recognized as a problem in the American healthcare system. This is an area of ongoing study in otolaryngology, however, there are data demonstrating racial/ethnic disparities in prevalence, treatment, and access to care for several common otolaryngologic problems. Studies have demonstrated that racial and ethnic minorities are less likely to respond to the Press Ganey survey. Additionally, patients experiencing more alienation and disa $ liation are less likely to respond to surveys. This is of concern as it is challenging to address disparities without data, which may then further perpetuate disparities. Our results demonstrate improved patient satisfaction at our satellite clinics compared to the academic clinics at the main hospital. Reported wait times were statistically shorter at the satellite clinics, however we believe the di # erence of 14 versus 16.9 minutes is unlikely clinically signi " cant. The same subspecialty and general clinics at the main hospital are represented at satellite clinics. Key di # erences between the satellite clinics and main hospital clinics include the lack of trainees (residents, fellows, and medical students) as well as locations closer to patient homes, and easier access to parking. Data on the e # ect of distance traveled to clinic is mixed. While one study found decreased satisfaction, and worse treatment outcomes with increased travel time, several other studies, including one from a hand clinic at our institution found that distance to clinic did not in ! uence satisfaction. Previous data have demonstrated decreased satisfaction when residents are present in otolaryngology clinics. At this time, there are no causal data in the literature to explain this " nding. Though the extent to which this " nding can be attributed to trainee presence is unclear, it is important to be aware of the ongoing challenge and critical need to thoughtfully balance both resident education and patient experience. There has been limited research on the factors a # ecting patient satisfaction in otolaryngology. The majority of data comes from the pediatric otolaryngology literature, which as previously discussed, is a unique patient population. A strength of this study is the large sample size and power. Additionally, while our data comes from 38,39 40,49 51 53 9,45,46 42-44,48,51