Applications and usefulness of routine measurement of patients' satisfaction with community-based mental health care

Objective: This study was conducted within the framework of the South-Verona Outcome Project (SVOP) in a sample of patients, with the full spectrum of psychiatric diagnoses, who are attending the South-Verona Community-based Mental Health Service (CMHS). It aims to exemplify some applications of routine measurements of service satisfaction and specifically: i) identify strengths and weaknesses, in the patients' perspectives, of a 'real world' service; ii) monitor whether this specific service provides satisfactory care over 3 years and iii) identify if there are any patients' characteristics that might be associated with service dissatisfaction. Method: Service satisfaction was measured with the Verona Service Satisfaction Scale (VSSS) across three subsequent waves of the SVOP; frequency distributions of scores in the various VSSS domains were compared. The relationship between satisfaction with psychiatric care and a number of well-established mental health indicators, including socio-demographic, clinical and service intervention variables, was investigated using random-effect models. Results: The organization of service and the behaviour and manners of the professionals were the main service strengths. Weaknesses were identified in the physical layout of facilities, in the lack of involvement of relatives and in the information provided. Overall satisfaction was medium-high, while subjects with longer duration of service contact and higher disability were the most dissatisfied. The predictors we examined, however, explained only modest percentages of variance. Conclusion: Repeated, routine assessments of service satisfaction have provided a clear view of the South-Verona CMHS' strengths and weaknesses; this set of information was crucial for the continuous quality improvement process in the service.