Perceived quality of care of inguinal hernia repair: assessment before and after the procedure.
OBJECTIVE
Assessment of the perceived quality of care for inguinal hernia repair procedures.


METHODS
A two-step descriptive study using specific questionnaires.


METHODS
A tertiary care University Hospital.


METHODS
Random sample of patients diagnosed of inguinal hernia in 1996. Group A, patients seen at the outpatient clinic before admission; group B, patients seen for follow-up after the surgical procedure.


METHODS
Two different questionnaires were used.


METHODS
validity of the questionnaire was evaluated using Cronbach's alpha value. Scores were measured using the z value.


RESULTS
Total number of patients was 194. Both groups were comparable. The questionnaire was able to explain 66.3% of the variance. The Cronbach's alpha value was 0.90. Scores recorded were significantly different (P < 0.01) regarding the health care workers' attitude and hospital commodities' variables (rated as better than expected). Differences in scores for information supplied, overall results of the surgical procedure and food variables were not statistically significant.


CONCLUSIONS
(i) The study of several fields where the patient's expectations are higher or lower contributes to prioritizing efforts to improve quality in the Surgery Department. (ii) The differences seen strongly suggest the need for patient's satisfaction surveys to be specific by diagnosis/dimension and adapted to patients' expectations.
Lledó
R
R
Medical Direction Unit, Hospital Clinic, University of Barcelona, Spain. rlledo@medicina.ub.es
Rodriguez-Ros
T
T
Targarona
E M
EM
Trias
M
M
Trilla
A
A
Asenjo
M A
MA
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D005260:Female; D006552:Hernia, Inguinal / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D013030:Spain; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires