Overview
In recent years, assessment of patient satisfaction has become ubiquitous among health care providers and systems in much of the developed world. In the United States, the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO, the accrediting organization for hospitals) and the National Committee on Quality Assurance (NCQA, the accrediting organization for managed healthcare plans and physician organizations) have identified patient satisfaction as an important quality indicator, and have required its measurement to meet accreditation requirements (JCAHO, 1997; http://www.ncqa.org/about/timeline.htm.) Specific approaches to meeting patient satisfaction assessment requirements vary. JCAHO allows for patient satisfaction instruments to be incorporated into ‘performance measurement systems’. Following submission to JCAHO of documentation regarding reliability, validity and use of specific quality indicators, JCAHO reviews and approves performance measurement systems that meet their standards. Accredited facilities can then choose from dozens of approved performance measurement systems, all of which include quality indicators that meet accreditation requirements. This system allows for potential use of different satisfaction surveys by different facilities.
In Europe, the Verona Service Satisfaction Scale (VSSS) is included in a 5-nation study to develop standardized instruments to facilitate cross-national research, specifically addressing characteristics, needs, quality of life, patterns of care, service costs and satisfaction of individuals with schizophrenia (Ruggeri et al., 2000).
Globally, the World Health Organization (WHO) has developed a framework for measuring health system performance that includes ‘responsiveness’ as an important criterion.