[Waiting rooms for cancer patients: instruments for their analysis and improvement]

To conduct a quality analysis of the waiting rooms in the departments of oncology and oncological radiotherapy in Andalusian Health Service hospitals.

In order to carry out the project, both quantitative (structured observation) and qualitative methods (focus groups) were combined. In the first place, parameters for the analysis were identified. Secondly, a structured observation of all the waiting rooms was conducted for subsequent evaluation. Finally, in order to obtain an impression, focus groups were formed from patients who had been in waiting rooms in the Departments of Oncology and Radiotherapy.

It was observed that physical features relating to ease of accessibility, refreshment and patient comfort (i.e. furnishings, toilets), environmental conditions (noise, ventilation), as well as the organisational and functional aspects of the services relating to information (reception, health and non-health information), privacy (the calling system, confidentiality) and the time patients had to wait in these rooms, reveal areas for significant improvement. The results also underline the correlation between the waiting room deficiencies identified by direct observation and the opinions expressed by the patients in the focus groups.

The physical and structural issues, as well as the functional and healthcare findings addressed in the project, when globally analysed, reveal that waiting rooms are in need of improvement if the experience of the patients using them is to be of therapeutic benefit.