Regardless of the crisis of the moment — be it a crushing nursing shortage or nonstop stream of patients with respiratory illnesses — hospitals that fail to keep a close eye on providing extraordinary patient experience will pay, one way or the other.

Patients referred to specialists who know their primary care physician may get better care, a study published Jan. 3 in JAMA Internal Medicine suggests. 

Fifty-two percent of U.S. patients said healthcare providers dismiss their described symptoms, according to a new MITRE-Harris poll.

Here are the most-read 10 patient experience stories published by Becker's in 2022, listed in order from most to least popular:

Chicago-based CommonSpirit Health is removing dark-colored sodas from its hospital menus — but patients can still order "clear sodas" like Sprite and ginger ale, The News Tribune reported Dec. 15. 

Physicians are more likely to ignore women when they express pain and women wait longer to receive appropriate treatment or do not receive it at all, The Washington Post reported Dec. 13.

Healthcare leaders say that improving the digital patient experience and increasing patient engagement are top priorities.

Only 4 percent of U.S. nursing homes are cited by government inspectors for flouting federal registered nurse staffing level rules, and even fewer face fines for doing so, a USA Today investigation has found.

Remote care tools and programs have been around for years, but the benefits they offer to providers in today's value-based care (VBC) environment are only now becoming apparent.

Health systems and payers have both invested heavily in creating comprehensive networks that deliver high-quality healthcare.

A new study in JAMA suggests patients may be misinterpreting medical terms used by physicians, affecting health outcomes.

In the age of value-based care, technology can be leveraged to enhance patient care quality. When it comes to digital health tools and resources, however, there is one patient group that is often overlooked—older patients. While digital health tools have been shown to help improve access and engagement, biases are leaving these resources out of the hands of older patients.

Primary care is the front door to the healthcare system — and it's ripe for disruption.

The concept of value-based care sounds simple, reward providers for the quality of care delivered instead of the volume of care - so why is the successful implementation proving to be extremely difficult?

Portland, Ore.-based Doernbecher Children's Hospital, part of Oregon Health & Science University, is adding a new program to its Child Life Therapy Program: video game therapy.

Sparrow Clinton Hospital in St. Johns, Mich., has added wide bore MRI equipment to give patients more room and ease anxiety about undergoing a scan. 

Hospitals have a reputation for bland or unhealthy food, but New Hyde Park, N.Y.-based Northwell Health is flipping the script by hiring chefs from Michelin-star restaurants.

Patients increasingly expect their healthcare experience to be digital, convenient and efficient. While healthcare organizations need to deliver on this expectation for a digital-first experience, they also need to ensure that patients who may not be as comfortable as technology aren't left behind.

Franciscan Health in Indianapolis adopted a new protocol for scheduled cesarean sections to help fight the opioid epidemic while improving the state's maternal mortality rate, WRTV reported.