Perceived needs and patient satisfaction in relation to care provided in individuals with rheumatoid arthritis

A cross-sectional study was performed upon a group of patients (N = 222) with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), from a Swedish health care district. The aim was to elucidate expectations and satisfaction with health care workers. The participants indicated that a good reception is more important than professional knowledge followed by the ability to inform about RA and the ability to show empathy. There was a trend towards increasing satisfaction with information about medical problems with severity of RA. This stands in contrast to the lack of such a systematic relation with regard to increasing functional disability as measured by the Stanford Health Assessment Questionnaire. Reasons for this could be that the physicians tend to respond more to clinical signs than to daily living restrictions. A relatively high percentage (around 80%) of the patients were satisfied with the surgical procedures offered to them. Only one third of the individuals felt that they had been involved in planning of treatment and discharge although a majority expressed this as very important. The importance of a continuous dialogue between patient and physician with regard to fulfillment of patient expectations is emphasized.