Goals, goal attainment, and patient satisfaction in psychosomatic rehabilitation

Objectives: The study assesses patient satisfaction and investigates the correlation between patient satisfaction and the setting and attainment of goals. Methods: Cross-sectional questionnaire-based assessment data were provided anonymously by 276 patients at the end of their inpatient stay in psychosomatic rehabilitation. Patient satisfaction as well as sociodemographic, disease-related, and outcome parameters including rehabilitation goals were assessed at the beginning of rehabilitation and their attainment at the end of rehabilitation. Results: Goal-attainment scales based on factor analysis showed a high degree of goal-attainment with respect to "lifestyle and priorities" and "psychotherapeutic goals." Patient satisfaction correlated most significantly with the goal-attainment level at the end of rehabilitation (r = .62) and the subscale "attainment of psychotherapeutic goals" (r = .57). Nonattainment of goals (r = -.55) was more closely related with patient satisfaction than the attainment (r = .40). Discussion: The results confirm the central role of goal-setting and goal-attainment in rehabilitation, and reveal the necessity of goal-setting assessment of goal-attainment in the process of rehabilitation.