[Patient's emotional satisfaction with anaesthetic care]

The evaluation of services by patients is an integral part of continuous quality improvement in anaesthesia. Patient satisfaction is affected by various objective and subjective variables. Individual experiences, impressions and needs represent an important part of overall patient satisfaction.

Data of 519 patients were collected in a standardised anonymous questionnaire independent of the post-anaesthetic visit.

Anaesthesia staff appeared to be friendly to 97 % of patients asked, 95 % of patients wanted to be treated by the same staff in case of another anaesthesia, nearly 87 % felt relaxed and satisfied after anaesthesia. Up to 26 % of patients felt tense after pre-anaesthetic visit and 38 % before anaesthesia, 35 % felt that waiting before operation was endless and 20 % complained about loss of humaneness because of technical equipment and monitoring. Significant differences could be found between specific groups of patients: Older and male patients were in all more satisfied compared to younger and female patients, patients after regional anaesthesia were more satisfied compared to ones after general anaesthesia.

The inquiry of subjective patient impressions can be performed in anaesthesia departments without much effort. The results help to identify and avoid psycho-vegetative stressing situations and to improve patient satisfaction with anaesthesia.