Patient experience is an important and well-researched part of medical care. Research has shown that patients who are satisfied with their visits are more likely to adhere to the advice provided by the clinician, which can have long-term impacts on their health and well-being⁷. Patient experience also increases retention and the likelihood of continuity of care³. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, patient experience is particularly critical in pediatric care.

“In pediatric healthcare, the importance of patient experience is magnified due to the unique vulnerabilities and developmental needs of children. Ensuring a positive patient experience in pediatric settings not only fosters better health outcomes but also builds trust and engagement with healthcare systems that can last a lifetime⁷.”

Surveys currently used in the field often measure patient experience or satisfaction. While these surveys include questions about communication, trust, and safety, they rarely focus on what parents tell us matters most: the parent-clinician relationship. This process with parents and parent leaders helped us realize that the parent-clinician relationship may be just as, if not more, predictive of parent adherence to clinical advice in pediatric settings.

Additionally, most of the prominent patient experience surveys used in pediatric clinics have not been validated for use within these settings. Even fewer of these surveys were developed in conjunction with parent or patient input.

With this in mind, Reach Out and Read set out to develop a parent-clinician relationship survey created for parents by parents.