Patient satisfaction after anaesthesia and surgery: results of a prospective survey of 10 811 patients

Patient satisfaction after anaesthesia is an important outcome of hospital care. We analysed our anaesthetic database to identify potentially modifiab le factors associated with dissatisfaction. At the time of analysis, our da tabase contained information on 10 81 1 in-patients interviewed on the firs t day after operation. The major subjective outcome measure was patient. sa tisfaction. We also measured other predetermined outcomes, such as nausea, vomiting, pain and complications. The overall level of satisfaction was hig h (96.8%); 246 (2.3%) patients were 'somewhat dissatisfied' and 97 (0.9%) w ere 'dissatisfied' with their anaesthetic care. After adjustment for patien t and surgical factors, there was a strong relation between patient dissati sfaction and: (i) intraoperative awareness (odds ratio (OR) 54.9, 95% confi dence intervals (CI) 15.7-191); (ii) moderate or severe postoperative pain (OR 3.94, 95% CI 3.16-4.91); (iii) severe nausea and vomiting (OR 4.09, 95% CI 3.18-5.25); and (iv) any other postoperative complications (OR 2.04, 95 % CI 1.61-2.56). Several factors associated with dissatisfaction may be pre ventable or better treated.