Explaining PRC’s Excellent-Poor Scale

The response scale used in patient perception research is often the most scrutinized aspect of the survey. We want to obtain the most quantitative scale possible, but in turn, we also have to appreciate the fact that we are trying to capture a qualitative evaluation of the patient’s experience. Ultimately, there are a number of issues one must consider when looking at response scales. All of these issues wrestle with generating the most accurate and useful data, with the key of identifying the crucial differences that matter the most in understanding perceptions. Or in the language of Pareto analysis: a successful scale separates out the critical few from the trivial many.