A COMPARATIVE-STUDY OF PATIENT SATISFACTION WITH HEALTH-CARE IN JAPANAND THE UNITED-STATES

Patient satisfaction with medical care received at selected medical fa cilities in the United States (895 patients) and in Japan (856 patient s) was compared using self-administered questionnaires. In each countr y, patients at a large government hospital and a smaller affiliated cl inic were surveyed. Patients responded to questions concerning specifi c aspects of medical care, general satisfaction with the care received , waiting time to see the physician and time spent with the physician. Results suggest that patients at study sites in both countries were g enerally satisfied with the medical care they received. However, Ameri can patients were more likely to report satisfaction than their Japane se counterparts on each dimension of health care measured. The largest discrepancies were found in satisfaction with waiting time to see the doctor and time spent with the doctor. Stepwise discriminant analyses indicated that provider skill may be the most important predictor of overall satisfaction with medical care in both countries. These result s are discussed in the framework of the underlying health care system.