Satisfaction with medical and allied health services among aged people in Sydney

Objectives: To assess satisfaction with medical and allied health services among community living aged persons and to determine whether satisfaction h ad changed over a three-year period. Method: An interview survey of a random sample of 320 people aged 75 years and older was conducted in the inner western suburbs of Sydney between Augu st 1991 and September 1993 and repeated between August 1994 and October 199 6 with 227 surviving members of the cohort. Questions covered the use of, a nd satisfaction with, medical and allied health services during the precedi ng 12 months. Results: The proportion 'very satisfied' with general practitioner (GP) sur gery attendances and house calls over the two surveys ranged between 88% an d 100%. The proportion 'very satisfied' with specialist medical services ra nged between 87% and 91%. The proportion 'very satisfied with allied health services ranged from 69% for optometry in 1992 to 93% for audiometry in 19 95. There was no significant change overtime. Conclusions: These older people displayed high levels of satisfaction with allied health services and very high levels of satisfaction with medical se rvices.