Inflammatory bowel disease patient's satisfaction with healthcare services received. Physicians' and nurses' perceptions

Background: patient satisfaction with healthcare services provided for inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) is essential due to high resources use. Objectives: the study aimed to describe patient satisfaction with healthcare services using the CACHE questionnaire and to assess gastroenterologist and nurse perception on patients' satisfaction. Methods: observational multicentric prospective study in 35 Spanish hospitals. Patients included had Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis. The study was approved by the Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron Ethics Committee. Scheduled study visits: baseline (patient sociodemographics and clinical data were collected), 2-4 and 6-months. Patient satisfaction with healthcare was assessed by CACHE questionnaire at each visit; it scores from 0-least satisfaction to 100-highest satisfaction. Gastroenterologists and nurses answered once an adapted questionnaire. Results: participating 290 patients (54.2 % males, 41.3 years old), 62 gastroenterologists and 47 nurses. At baseline mean (SD) CACHE score was 81.7 (10.9); satisfaction with clinician care was the highest, patient information the lowest. Scores did not change across study. Gastroenterologist global score was 72.5 (9.8); Staff Care satisfaction was the highest, patient information the lowest. All scores were significantly lower than patients'. Nurses' global score was 82.2 (8.5), clinician care satisfaction was the highest, centre facilities the lowest. Scores on satisfaction with clinician care, centre facilities, and patient information scored statistically lower than patients'. No relationship was found between patients' satisfaction and patients characteristics. Conclusions: IBD patients are satisfied with healthcare services provided, even though the information may be improved. Nurses' perception is similar to that of patients, physicians have a lower perception.