Surveying patients' and family members' satisfaction: the experience of the mental health department in Savona

Abstract

To point out the degree of satisfaction of psychotic patients and their family members in relation to the assistance given by the four Outpatient Mental Health Services in the Savona Department. patients with a diagnosis of psychosis were selected among those visited during the period from the 1st of January to the 30th of April 2002. VSSS-54 item, was utilized. The analysis, conducted on 301 patients and 149 family members, highlighted: 1) a substantially positive assessment of the Services 2) the patients and their family members quite agreed on the evaluation of the different areas of satisfaction 3) Strong points: all the operators' human and professional skills 4) request of a better knowledge of the Service's programmes and more information to the public opinion 5) request of more collaboration with family doctors and other specialists 6) The worst criticism: the Service's response to night and holiday emergency. The patients and their family members reacted positively to the survey, that created more resistance on the part of the operators. The survey is not to be considered the final objective, but the point of departure for a new form of collaboration between the users and the operators.