Eye on patients: excerpts from a report on patients' concerns and experiences about the health care system. American Hospital Association and the Picker Institute.

The American Hospital Association and The Picker Institute gathered information about patients' perceptions and experiences with health care. The first of a series of reports, Eye on Patients, is excerpted in this article. Preliminary findings show that despite reported rates of "satisfaction" consumers are worried about the future of health care, customer service programs have improved patients' interactions with care givers but these do not address core issues, and patients' experiences reveal problems with the way the system works and how decisions are made about patients' care.