Factors That Predict Overall Patient Satisfaction With Oncology Hospital Care in Bulgaria.

BACKGROUND: The relevance of studies focusing on patient satisfaction becomes imperative for patients with cancer, who often face major changes in their lifestyles. Their perceived uncertainty in illness and their personal experiences with the services received are crucial factors for a qualitatively adequate assistance.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the determinants of patient satisfaction, using a sample of 306 Bulgarian oncology outpatients.

METHODS: The hypotheses tested concern the extent to which patient satisfaction depends on the uncertainty in illness; the patients' assessment of technical and interpersonal skills of nurses and medical staff; the information provision; and some organizational aspects. Patients were asked to answer a questionnaire composed of internationally validated scales assessing the determinants of patient satisfaction (measured through the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer), uncertainty in illness (assessed through the Mishel Uncertainty in Illness Scale), and patients' health status (assessed through the EuroQol 5-dimensional questionnaire and the visual analogue scale). An ordered logit model was run, using the level of overall patient satisfaction as a dependent variable.

RESULTS: This is one of the first studies carried out in Bulgaria for oncology patient satisfaction of subjective factors related to the frailty of the oncology patient status such as age, self-assessed health-related quality of life, and uncertainty in illness. Nevertheless, other determinants, reflecting the quality of the care provided, also have an impact on patient satisfaction, namely, the assessment of the nonmedical personnel, the perception of medical technical skills, and the access to a medical center.

CONCLUSIONS: Results stress the relevance of reducing uncertainty in illness in patients with cancer by implementing a satisfactory patient-physician relationship in the management of the disease.