OBJECTIVES:   The introduction of patient satisfaction metrics for pain management as part of the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey may impact decision making in postoperative pain management (POPM). The potential influence of patient satisfaction metrics, combined with evolving practice patterns that remain highly individualized to physicians and hospitals, creates a need to understand what treatment attributes influence physician selection of inpatient POPM strategies. METHODS: This adaptive approach conjoint analysis was a self-administered online survey of surgeons that treat POPM. Treatment attributes were developed based on qualitative interviews with clinicians, peer-reviewed literature, and input from the sponsor. The conjoint consisted of 9 attributes (patient mobility, adverse event profile, pain control, daily cost of pain medication, analgesic gaps, staff utilization, medication type, route of administration, and patient satisfaction), totaling 28 levels. When considering their answers, respondents were asked to think of a specific type of post-surgical patient. The study received central IRB approval. RESULTS: A total of 288 surgeons [male = 88%; mean (SD) years in practice 19(9)] were included in the study. Surgeons were screened to ensure they performed inpatient surgeries resulting in a need to provide inpatient POPM. Surgical subspecialties included general surgeons who performed abdominal/colorectal surgeries (n=97), gynecologic surgeons (n=95), and orthopedic surgeons (n=96). When selecting POPM strategies, surgeons valued (strength of preference) patient satisfaction with pain management (15.3%), a patient’s ability to mobilize (14.9%); adverse event profile (14.6%), and pain control effectiveness (13.6%). There is variability in the utility rankings by specialty. CONCLUSIONS: When selecting a POPM strategy physicians consider a multitude of factors that go beyond the efficacy and safety profile of a solution. Patient satisfaction, which may be inclusive of but not limited to efficacy, will likely maintain or increase its influence on physician selection of POPM.