Survey of inpatient satisfaction: comparison of different survey methods

OBJECTIVES: to assess the impact of patient satisfaction survey method on r esponse rate, data quality and satisfaction. PATIENTS AND METHODS: four modes of data collection were assessed during a randomized trial that included 400 inpatients discharged from a teaching ho spital. RESULTS: the response rare was 58 % within the mail survey group (72 % with follow-up letter) venus 73 % and 81 % within the home and telephone interv iew group (p < 0.01). 69 % of the mailed questionnaires contained no missin g values versus 94 % and 96 % for home and telephone interview modes (p < 0 .01). The global satisfaction scale score was greater within the mail surve y groups (8.1/10 without follow-up letter and 7.9 with follow-up letter) th an within the telephone interview group (7.8) and the face to face intervie w group (7.3), (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: mail survey with follow-up letter constitutes an operational me thod despite lower data quality and overestimation of patients' satisfactio n scores.