Skip Navigation



BJA Advance Access published online on November 12, 2004
British Journal of Anaesthesia, doi:10.1093/bja/aei024
© 2004 by The Board of Management and Trustees of the British Journal of Anaesthesia
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow All Versions of this Article:
94/2/206    most recent
aei024v1
Right arrow E-Letters: Submit a response to the article
Right arrow E-letters: View responses
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when E-letters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Disclaimer
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Saal, D.
Right arrow Articles by Heidegger, T.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Saal, D.
Right arrow Articles by Heidegger, T.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

Accepted September 17, 2004

Clinical Investigation

Effect of timing on the response to postal questionnaires concerning satisfaction with anaesthesia care{dagger}{ddagger}

D. Saal 1*, M. Nuebling 2, Y. Husemann 3, and T. Heidegger 1

1 Department of Anaesthesiology, St Gallen Cantonal Hospital, CH-9007 St Gallen, Switzerland
2 Empirical Consulting, Hauptstrasse 67.1, D-79211 Denzlingen, Germany
3 Picker Institut, Ibelweg 18a, CH-6300 Zug, Switzerland

* To whom correspondence should be addressed.
D. Saal, E-mail: detlef.saal{at}kssg.ch


  Abstract

Background. There is little information on the effect of time on the assessment by the patient of quality of anaesthesia care. This study compared the patient's assessment of anaesthesia care after three different periods of time following discharge from hospital.

Materials. Three groups of patients were assigned to receive a standardized, validated psychometric questionnaire either 1, 5, or 9 weeks after discharge from hospital. We measured response rate and the total mean problem score of six dimensions.

Results. Groups 1, 2, and 3 received 748, 743, and 723 questionnaires, respectively. The response rates including one reminder were 67.3 (95% confidence interval [CI] 63.9-70.6%), 64.5% (CI 61.1-67.9%), and 58.9% (CI 55.5-62.4%), respectively (Group 1 vs Group 3, P<0.001, and Group 2 vs Group 3, P<0.05). The total mean problem scores were not significantly different with 17 (CI 1.4%), 17 (CI 1.4%), and 15% (CI 1.3%), respectively. In two out of six dimensions (‘Continuity of personal care by anaesthetist’ and ‘Nursing care in recovery room’) significantly less problems were reported after 9 weeks. The other dimensions of the questionnaire showed no consistent differences between groups.

Conclusions. The response rate is significantly lower at 9 weeks compared with 1 and 5 weeks after discharge. The total mean problem score remains unchanged but certain fields show fewer problems after 9 weeks compared with 1 and 5 weeks. Questionnaires on patient satisfaction with anaesthesia care should be sent within 5 weeks of discharge.

Keywords: anaesthesia, audit, mailed survey questionnaire; anaesthesia, quality management; patient satisfaction.

{dagger} A preliminary account of our results was given in a published abstract at the Euroanaesthesia Congress at Lisbon on the 5-8 June, 2004.

{ddagger} Declaration of interest. The questionnaire used in this study has been supplied by the Picker Institut. It has been paid for by our funding as mentioned in the Acknowledgements.


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 PediatricsHome page
M. C. McCormick, G. J. Escobar, Z. Zheng, and D. K. Richardson
Factors Influencing Parental Satisfaction With Neonatal Intensive Care Among the Families of Moderately Premature Infants
Pediatrics, June 1, 2008; 121(6): 1111 - 1118.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

E-letters:

Read all E-letters

Experience of surveying satisfaction at two weeks.
Alfred P J Lake
British Journal of Anaesthesia, 31 Jan 2005 [Full text]

Disclaimer: Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.