Patient satisfaction in cardiology after cardiac catheterization : Effects of treatment outcome, visit characteristics, and perception of received care.

BACKGROUND: Patient satisfaction is a key indicator for quality of care. However, recent data on determinants of satisfaction in invasive cardiology are lacking. Hence this study was conducted to identify determinants of patient satisfaction after hospitalization for cardiac catheterization. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Data were obtained from 811 randomly selected patients discharged from ten hospitals responding to a mailed post-visit questionnaire. The satisfaction dimension was measured with a validated 42-item inventory assessing demographic and visit characteristics as well as medical, organizational, and service aspects of received care. Bivariate and multivariate statistical analyses were performed to identify predictors of satisfaction. RESULTS: Patients were most satisfied with the kindness of medical practitioners and nurses. The lowest ratings were observed for discharge procedures and instructions. Multivariate analysis revealed five predictors of satisfaction: treatment outcome (OR, 2.14), individualized medical care (OR, 1.64), clear reply to patient's inquiries by physicians (OR, 1.63), kindness of nonmedical professionals (OR, 3.01), and room amenities (OR, 2.02). No association between demographic data and overall satisfaction was observed. CONCLUSION: Five key determinants that can be addressed by health-care providers in order to improve patient satisfaction were identified. Our findings highlight the importance of the communicational behavior of health-care professionals and the transparency of discharge management.