Results of a comparative study of in-patient satisfaction in eight hospitals in the Paris region.

Using the method of self-administered questionnaires, patient satisfaction was measured in eight hospitals for both in-patient stays and out-patient visits, excluding emergency departments for which this method is not appropriate. According to the size of the ward, the in-patient satisfaction was assessed for a period of time, ranging from one to three months in order to obtain 110 questionnaires; for outpatients, the satisfaction was assessed for one week. On the whole, the study showed high satisfaction with the care provided by physicians and nurses (81% and 74% of patients were "very satisfied"), satisfaction with cleanliness and comfort (respectively 64% and 61%), and low satisfaction for quietness and for the time schedule and the quality of meals (respectively 48%, 52% and 40%). As far as comparisons between hospitals and between wards within a given specialty were made, a major result of the study was to point out the very great range of dispersion of satisfaction scores. For example, if the mean value of the satisfaction about comfort is 61% of patients "very satisfied", the extreme values for the set of eight hospitals are 35% and 70%. Another example may be given in general surgery specialty: if the mean value of the satisfaction for medical care is 78%, the extreme values for the set of seven wards are 68% and 86%. These results make clear that however encouraging the scores may be, the evidence of the variability is a powerful incentive to organize corrective actions.