PCP32 - Measuring Treatment Satisfaction with Medication from Patients’ Perspective: Conceptual Models and a Review of Measures

Abstract

Review the nature of patient satisfaction with care and treatment satisfaction, summarize a conceptual model for treatment satisfaction with medication (TSM), assess and refine TSM conceptual model based on qualitative analysis; and compare current measures of treatment satisfaction with medication. Patient satisfaction with care is considered to be: a health outcome, a quality of care indicator, a predictor of patient behavior, and a social contract between consumers and providers of health care. There is consensus that patient satisfaction is multidimensional and includes components such as access to care, quality of provider-patient interpersonal relationship, and affordability of care. There is also consensus that this satisfaction is measurable. When evaluating the quality of programs, services, and products, patient satisfaction is a useful patient reported outcome. It serves four (4) interrelated but distinct purposes, permitting: a) evaluation of the acceptability of care or treatments from the patients’ perspective; b) comparison of health-care programs or treatment options; c) identification of service or treatment approaches that require change; d) screening of patients who are likely to become non-adherent to care plans or medication regimens. For these reasons, satisfaction measures are often used to plan health-care delivery systems and develop pharmaceutical products or medical devices. Treatment satisfaction provides a means to evaluate medical treatments in clinical trials, contributes to quality assurance, is associated with better treatment compliance, is a potential predictor of important clinical outcomes, and facilitates product differentiation.