Abstract
This study, aimed at assessing oncology patient satisfaction, was carried out at four operating units of the ARNAS Garibaldi of Catania. The analysis involved 300 cancer patients.
The patients responded to a questionnaire designed to collect epidemiological and socio-demographic data. The questionnaire included the Mishel Uncertainty in Illness Scale (MUIS), as well as a tool measuring patient satisfaction with, respectively, the service received, the medical and nursing staff, the access, the waiting time and the comfort.
An ordered logit model was estimated. The results suggest that Uncertainty in Illness and its components (Ambiguity, Inconsistency Complexity and Unpredictability), patient participation and other service-related aspects, impact on patient satisfaction.
The findings confirm the need for a greater involvement of the patient as part of a Customer Satisfaction Management model.
The same model can be applied in different settings to strengthen patients’ empowerment process and their ability to manage the disease.
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Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank Giorgio Giulio Santonocito, General Director, Anna Rita Mattaliano, Health Director and Anna Colombo, Head of the Clinical Risk Management Unit of the ARNAS Garibaldi of Catania, for allowing them to carry out the research.
They also thank Maria Avanzato and Chiara Gerratana for having conducted the interviews and collected the data. Usual caveats apply.
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Giammanco, M.D., Gitto, L. (2019). Patient Satisfaction and Uncertainty in Illness in Oncology: Which Are the Relevant Aspects When Planning a Qualitatively Adequate Assistance?. In: Bianco, A., Conigliaro, P., Gnaldi, M. (eds) Italian Studies on Quality of Life. Social Indicators Research Series, vol 77. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-06022-0_23
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