Abstract
BACKGROUND: Patient experience and satisfaction are important to stakeholders in the healthcare system, including payers, providers and patients. This study explores the patient experience and satisfaction with chiropractic care in Denmark including how aspects of patient experience and patient characteristics influence overall satisfaction. METHODS: A national survey was conducted over a two-week period in January 2023, targeting patients in all chiropractic clinics in Denmark. Clinics were asked to invite all patients to participate. Enrolled participants completed an electronic survey, containing 28 items on patient experience and satisfaction (5-point Likert scale). Associations of aspects of patient experience and patient characteristics with overall satisfaction were analysed with ordinal regression. Variation across clinics was analysed by forest plots and random effect models. RESULTS: Of the 250 clinics invited, 228 clinics (91%) recruited 27,577 patients for the survey (invitation rate of 53%). Of these, 17,974 (65%) were included in the final analysis. Patients reported ‘very high’ or ‘high’ degree of overall satisfaction with care (97%). Overall satisfaction was associated with personal experiences involving the chiropractor, particularly in the areas of examination and communication, patient involvement and information, and perceived effectiveness and reassurance. Lower satisfaction was linked to experiences involving delays, unexpected adverse events, and the process of collaboration with other health care professionals. Higher satisfaction was reported among women, patients under 30 years, and those with prior chiropractic care. Variation in overall satisfaction and patient experiences could not be fully explained by differences in known patient characteristics. CONCLUSION: While patients generally reported very high satisfaction with chiropractic care in Denmark, certain experiences and patient characteristics influenced this perception. Chiropractors should continue to prioritise quality interactions, personalised care, clear communication about risks of adverse events, and effective collaboration with other health care professionals. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12913-025-13767-6.