SURVEY OF PATIENT SATISFACTION IN A COMMUNITY-HOSPITAL

To assess the satisfaction with the department and hospital services p rovided by a medium-size community hospital during a 2 month period (A pril-May 1995), 118 randomly chosen patients were asked to complete a questionnaire designed to reflect their opinions during hospitalizatio n. The principal points of the survey concerned the general perception regarding the services in the department and the hospital, the admiss ion and discharge procedures, the quality of food and sanitary conditi ons, an evaluation of the physicians' and nurses' skill and attitude, as well as their compliance to patients' needs. Overall satisfaction w ith the medical care was very high, the physicians' attitude and nurse s' compliance being the two most important determinants. The role of t his type of questionnaire as an instrument for improving health servic es is emphasized.