INTRODUCTION: After the establishment of a centralised unit for the surgical treatment of breast cancer in the county of Copenhagen, Denmark, a number of parameters concerning the quality of patients' in-hospital stay were established. A survey of patients' experiences was done via a questionnaire in which they described their satisfaction level. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two questionnaires including 43 questions were sent to 400 women recently operated on for primary breast cancer. They were returned by 269 patients, who were included in the study. RESULTS: The patients indicated a high degree of satisfaction with the general aspects of their hospital stay, but problems and possible areas of future improvement were also identified. CONCLUSION: Even with a malignant diagnosis and a short hospital stay, patients may regard the treatment course positively if and when the course is firmly anchored in well-established quality goals.
INTRODUCTION: After the establishment of a centralised unit for the surgical treatment of breast cancer in the county of Copenhagen, Denmark, a number of parameters concerning the quality of patients' in-hospital stay were established. A survey of patients' experiences was done via a questionnaire in which they described their satisfaction level. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two questionnaires including 43 questions were sent to 400 women recently operated on for primary breast cancer. They were returned by 269 patients, who were included in the study. RESULTS: The patients indicated a high degree of satisfaction with the general aspects of their hospital stay, but problems and possible areas of future improvement were also identified. CONCLUSION: Even with a malignant diagnosis and a short hospital stay, patients may regard the treatment course positively if and when the course is firmly anchored in well-established quality goals.