Measuring patient satisfaction with radiation therapy service delivery

Patient satisfaction is an important component in the evaluation of health services provided to patients. This study evaluates the results of a patient satisfaction survey collected over five years in a radiation therapy department. The analysis identifies that satisfaction has improved in almost all areas, but there is room for improvement in others. The key findings are the importance of treating patients with courtesy and respect and the relatively lower levels of satisfaction noted for patients treated with palliative intent, an area of concern given these patients' greater needs. We provide aggregate results, identify factors that influence overall satisfaction and demonstrate how the survey results have led to quality improvement initiatives, which in turn have resulted in improved levels of satisfaction for patients.