Patient satisfaction with ambulance care services: survey from two districts in southern Sweden.

INTRODUCTION: One of several quality indicators that are relevant to study is patient's satisfaction with health care in the ambulance services. Regular measurements of patient satisfaction in this field have not been carried out previously and a validated method of measurement is lacking.
PURPOSE: This study aimed to measure patient satisfaction with health care in the ambulance services in Region Skane, southern Sweden.
METHOD: Data collection was performed by a patient questionnaire, Davis Consumer Emergency Care Satisfaction Scale© (CECSS). The study was conducted in two of the region's ambulance districts, and 40 patients (20 informants from each of the two sites) were included in the study.
RESULTS: Of the included patients 67% were women (n=27) and 33% men (n=13) with an average age of 65.6years (r=22-87). Informants average time of care in the ambulance was 31 min (r=12-75). A majority of the responses (93.1%) showed the most positive response option on each question position.
CONCLUSION: The present study shows that patients within ambulance care in the region of southern Sweden were pleased with the care received and the competence of the ambulance staff, and the patients experienced a high level of psychological and physical sense of security.