Emerging Role of patient satisfaction surveys in the Diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome

Anders Olsen; M. Johansson; K. Hansen

doi:10.5281/zenodo.22813647

Authors

Anders Olsen Department of General and Internal Medicine, Yamuna Research Center for Primary Care Research Author https://orcid.org/8541-3436-6173-2337
M. Johansson Department of Clinical Primary Care Research, Vistula Research Center for Primary Care Research Author https://orcid.org/0528-9547-8076-2007
K. Hansen Department of General and Internal Medicine, Ob Academy of General and Internal Medicine Author https://orcid.org/9128-9162-1564-6141

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.22813647

Keywords:

chronic fatigue syndrome, myalgic encephalomyelitis, patient satisfaction, diagnostic delay, patient-reported outcomes

Abstract

Graphical abstract

Background: Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), also termed myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), lacks a validated biomarker, so diagnosis still rests on symptom-based case definitions such as the Fukuda and Canadian Consensus criteria applied within a diagnostic encounter that patients frequently describe as unsatisfactory [2,3].

Objective: This review examines whether patient satisfaction surveys, alongside validated patient-reported outcome measures, can usefully inform and shorten the diagnostic pathway for CFS/ME.

Methods: We narratively synthesized peer-reviewed case-definition studies, validated patient-reported outcome instruments, and patient-satisfaction and healthcare-experience surveys addressing the CFS/ME diagnostic pathway.

Results: Structured instruments such as the DePaul Symptom Questionnaire and Chalder Fatigue Scale improve the consistency of case ascertainment [13,14], yet satisfaction and healthcare-experience surveys repeatedly document diagnostic delay of several years and low confidence in the diagnostic encounter, particularly where a biopsychosocial framing is perceived as dismissive [9,8].

Conclusions: Embedding validated satisfaction and outcome instruments alongside consensus case definitions could shorten diagnostic delay and improve the perceived legitimacy of the CFS/ME diagnostic process, though purpose-built diagnostic-satisfaction tools remain underdeveloped.

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