Survey of patients in hospital, psychiatry and rehabilitation clinic

In almost every hospital surveys with different approaches about patients' satisfaction and expectations are carried out. The research group Metrik has been dealing with this subject for several years. Until now 334000 questionnaires from 300 clinics have been analysed in Germany.

What is a good questionnaire?

The following general subjects should be contained in a questionnaire:

•  quality of the medical and nursing staff

• communication between patient and staff

• reception and discharge

• infrastructure

• cleanliness

• possibility of contact to other patients and integration of relatives

• quality of food

• additionally further individual subjects can be added if desired

Types of questions and answers

Gererally can be distinguished between two different types of questions: report questions and rating questions. It can be said that Metrik has concentrated on the area of rating questions (questions obout satisfaction). Rating questions supply general assessment of the patients about comprehensive subjects. Report questions on the other hand refer to conduct that can be observed (The patients are asked to describe wether certain situation have occured or not).

Additionally to the satisfaction also the importance of certain subjects is surveyed. Only like this profound statistic analysis can be carried out.

For the answers Metrik uses the following scale of five points:

• the best I've ever experienced

• very good

• good

• acceptable

• bad

For the answers concerning importance we have decided on the following scale:

• one of the most important aspects at all

• very important

• more important

• more unimportant

Analysis and presentation of results

Metrik has a return quota of more than 80 %. The data is scanned and processed with statistic programs. Beside the analysis of the questionnaires concerning the wards for intern quality management the main attention is put on the comparison of the clinics, carried out anonymously ( benchmarking ). For a better overall view the single results of the questions are presented in scales by the help of average value procedure. The items are placed as follows:

• Metrik-index

• reception

• discharge

• quality of food

• cleanliness

• infrastructure

• possibility of contact

• interpretation of relatives

• cooperation

• in-patient care

• medical care

• kiosk/cafeteria

The presentation of the results is one of the most important basic pillars of the survey. Because the nicest, statistically processed results are of no use if they can't be understood by the people on the basis.

In the analysis of the results 2 types are distinguished:

• intern comparison

• extern comparison

Here are some examples for the analysis:

1. Matrix of importance and satisfaction: In this matrix the subjects are presented according to their importance and satisfaction.

2. List of priorities the list of priorities puts each single question in a connection between importance and satisfaction.

3. Table of the questions with the respective average value. The single questions are presented with their corresponding average value.

4. Table of the questions concerning satisfaction, arranged according to their average values. This table allows to find the subjects that have the patients' highest or least satisfaction immediately.

5. Allocation of quantity: This table shows the patients' conduct in marking.

6. Intern comparison of the groups: This intern comparison allows to find out significant differences between the different groups of patients.

7. Comparison with other hospitals: The comparison with other hospitals allows benchmarking.

Application of the results

The report and the presentation are used as a base for intensive discussions in the entire house ( talks among the employees and between employees and patients ). On the base of these talks plans for improvement can be carried out . The success of this project is traced by a follow-up survey and if need be measures are taken. Thereby these measures become part of a systematic quality management: the hospital "learns" to adapt to needs and demands of the customers.

to questionnaire as PDF file