Analyzing patient satisfaction: a multianalytic approach.

A telephone survey of 9% of first quarter discharges at The New York Hospital was undertaken to identify the dimensions of a patient satisfaction questionnaire and the determinants of patient satisfaction. The questionnaire included measures of overall satisfaction with hospital services, satisfaction with ten aspects of service, and patient expectations. Relatively high inter-item correlations indicate that the questionnaire can be shortened and the same overall dimensions measured. A longer questionnaire would still be necessary to ascertain the relative values of measures within any one dimension. The best determinants of overall satisfaction with hospital care appear to be patient expectations and satisfaction with nursing care. Patient satisfaction with nursing care, however, seems to hinge on satisfaction with services not under a nurse's control.