The multidimensionality of patient satisfaction with a clinic visit.

Three hypotheses regarding the factor structure of patient satisfaction with an ambulatory health care encounter were tested in a New York medical center outpatient sample. All three hypotheses were generally supported. It was found that patients evaluated four distinct aspects of the clinic visit: doctor conduct, convenience, appointment getting, and the visit in general. A significant proportion of the variance in general satisfaction was explained by satisfaction with doctor conduct and satisfaction with convenience. Three factor scales of patient satisfaction were developed with demonstrable internal consistency reliability. Some possible effects of response method on satisfaction ratings were studied; these method effects were not substantial, and it is suggested that this type of psychometric procedure be used in further studies of patient satisfaction.