Patients Satisfaction Within Community Mental Health Centres

Abstract

Introduction:

By the and of the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina process of psychiatric care reform has started by implementation of community mental health care concept. This way of mental health care organization is based on community mental health centres.

Aim:

Aim of this article is to assess the level of patients satisfaction with community mental health care provided within community mental health centers.

Method:

Research was conducted in three towns (Sarajevo, Zenica and Banja Luka) in Bosnia and Herzegovina in which the best possibilities for implementation of new organizational concept of care are existing. As research instrument adapted version of Patient satisfaction questionnaire within outpatient community mental health care was applied randomly with community mental health centers users.

Results:

In all targeted areas users of care expressed with high score their satisfaction with mental health professionals understanding for their situation and high level of trust toward mental health professionals. They were satisfied with time they spent with person who treat them, as well as with frequency of contacts with them, efficiency of therapy and efficiency of treatment in general. The level of satisfaction with the information regarding the treatment was optimal, but the lowest score for these items were registered in town Zenica.

Conclusion:

Results of the study, according to the level of patients satisfaction with services provided within community mental health centers, as a measure of their quality, indicates that focused community mental health centers provide services of good quality. It is neccessary to improve patients information regarding mental health disorder they are suffering from, as well as about treatment possibilities.