title: The role of expectations in patient satisfaction with medical care.
abstract: The purpose of this article is to review research about the role of expectations in patients or consumer satisfaction and to identify theories to account for the process by which patient satisfaction is achieved. Studies are examined to suggest how expectations and satisfaction may be defined or measured and to describe the empirical support for an expectation and satisfaction relationship. The application of an expectation and satisfaction model to health care marketing is discussed.
mesh_terms: D001168:Arthritis / Q000628:therapy; D003258:Consumer Behavior / Q000592:standards*; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006801:Humans; D008389:Marketing of Health Services / Q000379:methods*; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D014481:United States