Correlates of patient satisfaction with mental health services in a health maintenance organization.

To assess the level and determinants of patient satisfaction with prepaid mental health services, the authors surveyed 124 adult patients who five years earlier had been seen at least once by a mental health professional. Of the 44 percent who returned questionnaires, approximately one third reported satisfaction, one third dissatisfaction, and one third were unsure. Most patients sought help for chronic situational problems and tended to use the services repeatedly over time. Satisfaction was most strongly correlated with the patients' perceptions of their rapport with the provider and slightly less so with their perceptions of the provider's technical competence. Patient characteristics, diagnoses according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM 3), and systems issues were of no predictive value. Patients who presented with symptomatic distress not clearly linked to circumstances were likely to be dissatisfied with treatment.