Patient satisfaction with an out-patient oncology clinic

Includes bibliographical references (pages 39-41)This paper presents a study of patient satisfaction conducted in an outpatient hematology-oncology clinic. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the existing practices of outpatient oncology care from the perspective of the consumer; that is, to make an assessment of care through the eyes of the patient. The methodology used in the patient satisfaction study included the use of a Likert-type scale attitude questionnaire, open-ended interviews, and participant observation. The fixed-choice questionnaire was intended to generate a quantitative measure of patient satisfaction, while the interviews served to enrich the study of patient satisfaction and to provide a check upon information secured through the questionnaire. In supplementing the questionnaire with interviews, the investigator was able to go beyond the face validity of the questionnaire results, giving depth and understanding to the statistical measurement of patient satisfaction.\ud Overall, the results of the study indicated a high level of patient satisfaction with the staff and services of the oncology clinic. Statistical measures and qualitative measures of patient satisfaction were compared to identify the areas of highest and lowest satisfaction.\ud Also, a factor analysis was performed to discover whether variables of the attitude questionnaire could be reduced into a few dimensions. Based on the identified needs of the patient population of the outpatient oncology clinic obtained through the patient satisfaction study, specific recommendations are made for improvement of existing services. Future research in the area of patient satisfaction is discussed, and implications are noted for the design of patient satisfaction studies. Specifically, the results of this study are discussed in relation to the extent to which a measure of patient satisfaction can provide valuable feedback and evaluation of on-going programs of health care. The study of patient satisfaction is discussed as a tool for the health educator acting as change agent within the health care delivery system. This study of patient satisfaction with outpatient oncology care was intended to evaluate the existing practices for comprehensive outpatient cancer treatment, but equally important, this study demonstrated a means for health care delivery systems to be responsive to consumer needs