title: Dissatisfaction of hospital patients, their relatives, and friends: Analysis of accounts collected in a complaints center.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to analyze complaints of patients, their relatives, and friends who consulted a complaints center based (Espace Patients & Proches (EPP)) in a hospital so as to better understand the reasons that motivated them and their underlying expectations.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was based on the analysis of written accounts of the 253 situations that occurred during the first year of operation of the EPP. The accounts were analyzed qualitatively using an inductive, thematic analytic approach.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We identified 372 different types of complaints and 28 main analytic themes. Five clustered themes emerged from the analysis of the interconnections among the core themes: (1) interpersonal relationship (N=160-the number of accounts including a complaint related to this general theme); (2) technical aspects of care (N=106); (3) health-care institution (N=69); (4) billing and insurance; (5) access to information (N=13).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The main reason for patients, their relatives, and friends going to EPP was related to the quality of the interpersonal relationship with health-care professionals. Such complaints were markedly more frequent than those concerning technical aspects of care.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results raise important questions concerning changing patient expectations as well as how hospitals integrate complaints into the process of quality health care.
authors: Communication Office, Lausanne University Hospital, Switzerland. Electronic address: beatrice.schaad@chuv.ch.
authors: Béatrice
authors: B
authors: Schaad
authors: Psychiatric Liaison Service, Lausanne University Hospital, Switzerland.
authors: Céline
authors: C
authors: Bourquin
authors: Espace Patients & Proches, Lausanne University Hospital, Switzerland.
authors: Floriane
authors: F
authors: Bornet
authors: Espace Patients & Proches, Lausanne University Hospital, Switzerland.
authors: Thierry
authors: T
authors: Currat
authors: Psychiatric Liaison Service, Department of Ambulatory Care and Community Medicine, Lausanne University Hospital, Switzerland.
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: Saraga
authors: Institute of History of Medicine and Public Health, Lausanne University, Switzerland.
authors: Francesco
authors: F
authors: Panese
authors: Psychiatric Liaison Service, Lausanne University Hospital, Switzerland.
authors: Friedrich
authors: F
authors: Stiefel
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003142:Communication; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D033062:Friends / Q000523:psychology*; D006739:Hospital Administration; D015285:Hospital-Patient Relations; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients / Q000523:psychology*; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D017064:Process Assessment, Health Care; D011368:Professional-Family Relations; D011787:Quality of Health Care
keywords: Clinical communication; Complaints; Satisfaction