Abstract
Objectives. Patient satisfaction with treatment together with staff competence, are prerequisites ofa good therapy outcome. The aim of the study was to obtain information about the patients ' opinion on the quality of medical services provided to them at the Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology (IPiN).
Methods. Participants in the study were 102 inpatients of 6 IPiN psychiatric wards providing diagnostics and treatment. They responded to a patient satisfaction questionnaire developed by the authors.
Results. The circumstances of admission to the mental hospital and ward, as well as the situation of hospitalization were assessed positively by a majority ofpatients, as only 10% of the respondents were dissatisfied with their admission and hospital stay, while 5% - with their relations with the staff. Less positive were the patients ' ratings concerning the quality of hospital equipment, noise at night, support received from particular staff members, and too scarce information concerning patient rights and duties, mental illness and its treatment - only every third patient confirmed having received information about the illness, and every fifth - about treatment. About a half of the sample did not confirm their being acquainted with their rights and the ward regulations. Accessibility of doctors was assessed as good by 93% of the patients, and of nurses - by almost all. Accessibility of therapists, as well the amount ofpsychological support from therapists and nurses were reported as unsatisfactory. The patients often complained of troublesome behaviors of their co-patients, of noise and inadequate ward equipment.
Conclusions. Improvement is needed in the following areas of provided medical services: therapists (i.e. psychologists and occupational therapists) should be more active, medical and formal information more available, and living conditions related to the ward infractructure - more user-friendly.