Identifying and encouraging high-quality healthcare: an analysis of the content and aims of patient letters of compliment.

The authors reviewed 1,267 compliment letters received by hospitals to identify the types of practices being complimented and how the letters varied between front-line staff and management. About one-third of the compliments focused on voluntary non-routine behaviors, such as extra emotional support or staying late to run an extra test. Front-line staff were more likely to receive letters acknowledging behavior, while management were more likely to receive letters requesting acknowledgement of or rewarding individual staff.