Development of the Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Parent Satisfaction Survey

The importance of assessing patient satisfaction is assuming an increasingl y prominent role in the current health care system. This is due to a growin g number of studies that have demonstrated a significant relation between p atient satisfaction and attitudes and health-related behaviors. This evalua tion examined the reliability and factor structure of a new parent self-adm inistered survey measure of satisfaction with health care for pediatric pat ients in hematology and oncology. The Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Parent Satisfaction Survey (Par.SS) was administered to 113 parents of pediatric p atients receiving care at a children's hospital division of hematology and oncology. The Par.SS demonstrated excellent internal consistency reliabilit y, and factor analysis revealed 4 factors identified as General Satisfactio n, Satisfaction With Staff Communication and Interaction Style, Satisfactio n With Information Amount and Timeliness, and Satisfaction With the Staffs Provision of Emotional Support for the Patient and Parent. Parents reported high levels of satisfaction across the 4 domains for the cohort tested. Th e Par.SS might serve an important role in facilitating health care professi onals' continuous quality improvement efforts to enhance the quality of ped iatric care in hematology and oncology.