Scales for assessing patient satisfaction with mental health care: A systematic review

BACKGROUND: Patient satisfaction with mental health care has become an important construct in research and routine care. Both as a process measure and as an outcome criterion in its own right, it needs to be assessed with appropriate scales. PURPOSE: To provide a review of scales for assessing patient satisfaction in different settings, their characteristics and the content of care that they cover. METHOD: A systematic search of electronic databases was conducted to identify studies that used a scale to assess patient satisfaction with care in mental health services. Peer reviewed articles were screened by two independent reviewers and included when they met predetermined criteria. Data on the characteristics of scales found in at least two studies were extracted and a qualitative analysis was performed to identify the contents of included scales. RESULTS: Twenty-eight scales were identified. They vary substantially in terms of structure, length, focus and quality. The qualitative analyses identified a total of 19 contents of care that were covered in the scales. The most consistent contents across scales were overall satisfaction, followed by relationship with staff and staff skills. DISCUSSION: A wide range of scales have been used to assess patient satisfaction with mental health care in different settings. Whilst some scales have been frequently used, there is no consensus on a gold standard one. The choice of the most appropriate scale depends on the aim of the assessment, the setting, the content that should be covered, and the time available for the assessment.