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11-Nov-2004
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Arch Hellen Med, 21(4), July-August 2004, 354-362 ORIGINAL PAPER Patient satisfaction with services provided M. KABADAI, D. NIAKAS |
OBJECTIVE The assessment of the satisfaction of patients with the services provided by a Community Mental Health Center in a city in northern Greece, and the investigation of its socio-demographic associations.
METHOD A telephone survey was conducted of 272 patients who visited the Center consecutively over a period of 3 months (January–March 2002). A semi-structured questionnaire concerning demographic and social data, with 14 closed and 2 open questions, was used to measure the patients’ degree of satisfaction. Three indicators of patient satisfaction relating to (a) the facilities and administrative services, (b) the clinical work and (c) the outcome of the therapeutic intervention according to the users’ personal opinion, were used. The investigation of the correlation between the three indicators of patient satisfaction and socio-demographic data was made using Statistical Package for Social Sciences SPSS (V.11).
RESULTS There were 250 patients who participated in our study (92% response rate). Patients’ satisfaction was rated high for the facilities and the administrative services and even higher for the clinical work. The perceived outcome of health investigation indicated a significant health improvement following the visit. Statistical differences in satisfaction were observed for two socio-demographic variables, place of residence and educational level. Satisfaction with the clinical work was positively correlated with the outcome of the therapeutic intervention, according to the users’ personal opinion.
CONCLUSIONS Survey of patient satisfaction with public services is possible in Greece using a telephone interview, offering a variety of information at low cost. This method of assessment views of patients’ may become one of the means of evaluating and monitoring the quality of health services, and should attract the interest of both the managers and the health care professionals of the NHS.
Key words: Mental health services, Patient satisfaction, Quality, Questionnaire, Telephone survey.
