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Patient satisfaction with psychiatric outpatient care in a university hospital setting

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 October 2013

John Lally ,
Fintan Byrne ,
Eimear McGuire  and
Colm McDonald
John Lally*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry Kings College London and National Psychosis Service, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
Fintan Byrne
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, National University of Ireland Galway, Ireland West Galway Mental Health Services, Health Service Executive West, Galway, Ireland
Eimear McGuire
Affiliation:
West Galway Mental Health Services, Health Service Executive West, Galway, Ireland
Colm McDonald
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, National University of Ireland Galway, Ireland West Galway Mental Health Services, Health Service Executive West, Galway, Ireland
*
*Address for correspondence: J. Lally, Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry and South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, King's College London, King's Health Partners, De Crespigny Park, London SE5 8AF, UK. (Email [email protected])
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Abstract

Objectives

To measure patient satisfaction with psychiatric outpatient care in a university hospital setting. We wished to ascertain whether there was an association between increased patient satisfaction and background factors such as demographic details, diagnosis and patient preference for outpatient treatment in a hospital or a community setting.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional survey of individuals’ satisfaction levels with their outpatient treatment. Outpatients were invited to complete the Client Satisfaction Questionnaire-8 (CSQ-8), a well validated self-report instrument, along with some additional questions on their attitudes to the service.

Results

One hundred and sixty-two respondents had a mean total CSQ-8 score of 26.7 (s.d. = 4.6) indicating a moderate to high level of satisfaction with outpatient care. Ninety percent of patients were satisfied with their psychiatric outpatient care. There were no significant sociodemographic or clinical associations with satisfaction levels identified. Sixty one percent of patients were in favour of retaining outpatient care in the university hospital.

Conclusions

This study demonstrates high satisfaction levels with psychiatric outpatient care in a university hospital setting. The majority of patients expressed a preference for maintaining outpatient care in the general hospital setting, rather than transferring to a stand-alone mental health facility in a suburban setting.

Keywords

Community treatmentoutpatientpatientpsychiatricsatisfaction
Type
Original Research
Information
Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine , Volume 30 , Issue 4 , December 2013 , pp. 271 - 277
Copyright
Copyright © College of Psychiatrists of Ireland 2013 

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