Review of patient satisfaction and experience surveys conducted for public hospitals in Australia

The consultancy report, Review of patient satisfaction and experience surveys conducted for public hospitals in Australia, was released on 12 August 2005. The consultancy was commissioned by the Health Working Group for the Steering Committee for the Review of Government Service Provision, and jointly funded by all jurisdictions’ health departments. Jim Pearse of Health Policy Analysis Pty Ltd conducted the consultancy between May and June 2005.

The consultancy reviewed patient satisfaction and responsiveness surveys conducted in relation to public hospital services in Australia, and international developments were briefly reviewed. A major objective of the consultancy was to identify points of commonality and difference between patient satisfaction surveys and their potential for concordance and/or for forming the basis of a minimum national data set on public hospital ‘patient satisfaction’ or ‘patient experience’. It was concluded that although all Australian patient based surveys assess similar aspects of patient experience and satisfaction, the different methodologies adopted pose significant impediments to achieving comparable information.