Article: Sharon - Satisfaction with Services

The Alberta Provincial Stroke Strategy used Leger Marketing to randomly survey people discharged to their pre-stroke residence about their experiences in hospital and after stroke.  You can read the results online Alberta Health Services 2011-02-11 Evaluation Report.

In 2007 57% were very satisfied with post stroke services and this increased to 68% in 2009.  However,  that means that 32 % or almost a third were only moderately satisfied  (17%) or dissatisfied  (15%) with  health and community services after  their discharge.

There are significant theoretical and methodological issues with measuring satisfaction only with numerical data and rating scales.  The questions people were asked in Appendix I.  Stroke survivors and family care-partners were telephoned and asked over the phone to rate their care on a 7 point scale. But, in the instructions, they were given 3 choices—1-- Not satisfied at all, 4---satisfied, and  7---completely satisfied.

A recent survey done in Greece of stroke survivors satisfaction with hospitalization notes that assessing patients views about quality of care shows contentious professionalism, but that measuring  patient satisfaction with numerical data  does not enable stroke survivors to talk about reasons for satisfaction and dissatisfaction.  Often in these type of surveys where patients rate their care on a scale,  a global response of satisfactory often is given by stroke survivors and care-partners who are dis-satisfied  with certain aspects  of their care or even highly critical of the care (Theofanidis, Fountouki, Pediaditaki, 2012).

So some questions:

• If you were called by a marketing company and asked about your satisfaction with your care in hospital and services in the community, would it be difficult for you to make this type of rating (1-- Not satisfied at all, 4 -- satisfied, and  7 -- completely satisfied) over the phone?
• Are you happy with community services after your discharge? 
• What services and supports would you like to see in the community after stroke?  What do you think is missing?
• Are there services and supports that you think are exceptional?