GRINCH Index: Measuring Patient Satisfaction During Christmas Holiday Gift Programs

Giulio Gualdi; Laura Bigi; Clara De Simone; Paolo Amerio; Francesco Loconsole; Federico Bardazzi; Lidia Sacchelli; Michela Starace; Andrea Conti; Manuela Baldari; Anna Balato; Giovanna Brunasso; Giacomo Caldarola; Anna Campanati; Gabriella Fabbrocini; Maria Concetta Fargnoli; Claudio Guarneri; Piergiorgio Malagoli; Andrea Paradisi; Francesca Prignano; Mario Puviani; Valentina Dini; Simone Soglia; Ilaria Salvi; Martina Burlando

doi:10.5826/dpc.1504a5527

GRINCH Index: Measuring Patient Satisfaction During Christmas Holiday Gift Programs

Authors

Giulio Gualdi Dermatology Clinic, Department of Medicine and Aging Science, University G D'Annunzio Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
Laura Bigi Division of Dermatology, Modena University Hospital, Modena, Italy
Clara De Simone Section of Dermatology, Department of Translational Medicine and Surgery, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy; Dermatology Unit, Agostino Gemelli University Polyclinic Foundation, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
Paolo Amerio Dermatology Clinic, Department of Medicine and Aging Science, University G D'Annunzio Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
Francesco Loconsole Department of Medicine Dermatology Section, University of Bari, Bari Italy
Federico Bardazzi Dermatology Unit, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
Lidia Sacchelli Dermatology Unit, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
Michela Starace Dermatology Unit, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Bologna, Italy; Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
Andrea Conti Dermatology Unit, Department of Surgery, Infermi Hospital, AUSL Romagna, Rimini, Italy
Manuela Baldari Dermatology Unit, Department of Surgery, Infermi Hospital, AUSL Romagna, Rimini, Italy
Anna Balato Dermatology Unit, University of Campania L. Vanvitelli, Naples, Italy
Giovanna Brunasso Unit of Dermatology, Villa Scassi Hospital, ASL3, Genoa, Italy
Giacomo Caldarola Section of Dermatology, Department of Translational Medicine and Surgery, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy; Dermatology Unit, Agostino Gemelli University Polyclinic Foundation, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
Anna Campanati Department of Clinical and Molecular Sciences - Dermatological Clinic, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Ancona, Italy
Gabriella Fabbrocini Section of Dermatology - Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples Federico II, Napoli, Italy
Maria Concetta Fargnoli Dermatology, Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy
Claudio Guarneri Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morphofunctional Imaging, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
Piergiorgio Malagoli Dermatology Unit, IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, San Donato, Italy
Andrea Paradisi Section of Dermatology, Department of Translational Medicine and Surgery, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy; Dermatology Unit, Agostino Gemelli University Polyclinic Foundation, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
Francesca Prignano Section of Dermatology, Department of Health Sciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
Mario Puviani Dermatology Unit, Nuovo Ospedale Civile di Sassuolo, Sassuolo, Italy
Valentina Dini Dermatology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Ospedale Santa Chiara, Pisa, Italy
Simone Soglia Department of Dermatology, University of Brescia and ASST-Spedali Civili, Brescia, Italy
Ilaria Salvi Section of Dermatology, Department of Health Sciences (DISSAL); IRCCS San Martino University Hospital, Genoa, Italy
Martina Burlando Section of Dermatology, Department of Health Sciences (DISSAL); IRCCS San Martino University Hospital, Genoa, Italy

Keywords:

patients’ satisfaction, GRINCH, gifts, medical reputation

Abstract

Introduction: Receiving gifts, especially during the Christmas festivities, is a common experience for healthcare providers. Gift-giving, being a spontaneous expression of gratitude, could enable the assessment of true patient satisfaction.

Objective: In this study we used the Gifts Received durINg Christmas Holidays (GRINCH) as a potential index of patient satisfaction.

Methods: GRINCH is an Italian national survey that started on 13 December 2022 and lasted until 6 January 2023. Fifty dermatologists, equally divided between males and females working in university hospitals, general hospitals, or private or public offices and covering almost all the Italian regions participated in data collection. The participants were asked to fill out a structured data sheet collecting the type and the estimated gift value, the demographic characteristics of the patient, and the type of condition that led the patient to seek medical attention.

Results: A total of 659 gifts were recorded during the study period. The mean ratio of gifts/dermatologist, GRINCH index, was 13.7. Notably, the Grinch index increased as the dermatologists’ ages increased in both sexes, and the same trend was confirmed by the data concerning the doctors’ number of years of professional activity. We observed a greater mean GRINCH value in male dermatologists compared to their female colleagues. Patients with chronic diseases were more prone to gifting; those affected by psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, or acne showed above-average GRINCH values. However, this finding seems unrelated to the dermatologist's field of expertise.

Conclusion: Overall, these data strongly underline the importance of the doctor-patient relationship. A structured and prolonged mutual knowledge determines a trustful relationship that appears to be one of the fundamental bases of patient satisfaction.

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