Assessing patient satisfaction with state hospital and aftercare services.

To assess patients' satisfaction with state hospital and aftercare services, the authors administered an open-ended interview to 22 former state hospital patients. The patients expressed marked dissatisfaction with their treatment in the hospital, but 78% said they were helped by the aftercare services. Important components of their satisfaction were feeling helped, feeling understood, and feeling that the aftercare worker was available when needed. Frequency and length of meetings and types of assistance were not related to satisfaction. The patients reported that the psychotherapeutic and task-oriented assistance were equally helpful.