Patient satisfaction is a measure of whether the patient’s expectations have been met, whereas patient experience encompasses the events that occur—and the patient’s perceptions of these events—during their encounter with healthcare. Ensuring a positive patient experience and high patient satisfaction is crucial for optimizing patient-centered care, as well as building trust, as patient experience can directly influence treatment adherence, health outcomes, and overall quality of care. This activity examines the nuances of patient expectations and discusses methods to improve patient-clinician communication and the patient experience.
