Predictors of patient satisfaction with Mohs micrographic surgery at time of surgery and three months post-surgery: a prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Despite the importance of patient satisfaction in ensuring high-quality care, studies investigating patient satisfaction in Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) are limited.

OBJECTIVE: We investigated the factors associated with patient satisfaction in MMS for non-melanoma skin cancer and how patient satisfaction changes in the post-operative period.

METHODS: In this prospective cohort study including 100 patients, patient satisfaction surveys were administered at the time of surgery and at three months post-surgery. Sociodemographic characteristics, medical history, and surgical parameters were collected by chart review. Univariate linear and logistic regression models were created to examine these relationships.

RESULTS: Decreased satisfaction was observed in patients requiring three or more MMS stages both at the time of surgery (p=0.047) and at three months post-surgery (p=0.0244). Patients with morning procedures ending after 1:00 PM had decreased satisfaction at the time of surgery (p=0.019). A decrease in patient satisfaction between the time of surgery and three months post-surgery was observed in patients with surgical sites on the extremities (p=0.036), larger pre-operative lesion sizes (p=0.012), and larger defect sizes (p=0.033).

LIMITATIONS: Single-institution data, self-selection bias, and recall bias.

CONCLUSION: Patient satisfaction for MMS is impacted by numerous factors and remains dynamic over time.