Measuring parental satisfaction of care quality provided in hospitalized children

Introduction: Measuring parental satisfaction is of major importance for pediatric hospitals and the key component of evaluating the quality of services provided to health services. Aim: To assess the degree of parental satisfaction from the care provided to their hospitalized children. Methodology: A descriptive study conducted using a convenience sample of parents of hospitalized children in two public pediatric hospitals in Athens. Data collection was completed in a period of 3 months. 352 questionnaires were collected (response rate 88%). The Pyramid Questionnaire for parents of hospitalized children was used which estimates the degree of parental satisfaction from the care provided to their hospitalized child. Results: More parents were satisfied with health care professionals' behavior (81,9%), the supplied care(78,2%) and the information provision to parents regarding the hospitalized child's disease (71,9%). In contrast, less parents were satisfied with their hospitalized child's involvement in care (52,3%) and the accessibility to the hospital (39,5%). The overall parental satisfaction ranged in very good level (76,8%) and it was higher on hospital A (78,8%), among married parents (77,4%) and those not al all concerned or concerned less for child's illness (83,1%). Logistic regression model showed that hospitalization in hospital B and the great concern for child's illness and its complications decreased ovewrall satisfaction by 24% and 17% respectively. Conclusions: The assessment of the degree of parental satisfaction is the most important indicator of hospitals' proper functioning. From our study certain areas need improvement, such as: the parental involvement in child's care, information provision, the accessibility to the hospital, the communication and the interpersonal health care in order greater satisfaction to be achieved.