Patient Satisfaction Literature Review

Our review found that the potential determinants playing important roles in patient satisfaction were varied across studies as it was suggested in the literature.24, 73 However, the strongest determinants of patient satisfaction across studies were perceptions of health service quality characteristics. More specifically, quality of health care providers’ interpersonal skills, competence, physical environment of the facility, and accessibility, continuity of care, hospital characteristics and outcome of care, all are associated with patient satisfaction positively and strongly in order. This result supports a number of theories and models on the health service quality suggesting that health service quality indicators 24, 58, 156, 157 or health

This result supports the results of the previous studies and systematic reviews on determinants of patient satisfaction. 24, 139 However, there is evidence that socio-demographic factors of patients affect the satisfaction with health services. Yet, the contradictory effects of the socio-demographic variables may show that these variables should be taken into account when comparing patient satisfaction between specific groups or countries 24, 141 due to their potential moderating and mediating effects on the associations between health service quality indicators and patient satisfaction. 4,

For instance, time lag of satisfaction survey potentially have played a role in variation in patient satisfaction determinants and results.13, 160 Jackson, Chamberlin and Kroenke stated that patient satisfaction was varied as difference of time points of patient survey.13 Additionally, seasonal difference of patient satisfaction survey probably influenced patient satisfaction results by patients’ unwillingness of patients to visit to hospitals during summer time, and a fewer health professionals during this time.97 Studies conducted patient satisfaction survey in a wide range of points in time of hospital visit, stay or discharge. Furthermore, the effect of length of stay may have caused a variation in results. Factors that shape patient experiences into satisfaction were significantly different among them who hospitalized less than one week, between one week and a month, and more than a month in regards to their illness severity, health improvement, and psychological wellness.56 The place where survey conducted was an important indicator of deviated satisfaction results as well. Some studies held a survey on site and this potentially introduced social desirability biases to the results. Another possible source of inconsistent results of patient satisfaction was related to who responded to the questionnaire. If someone who was not a patient responded to the survey for patients, the results showed