The evaluation by users of hospitals which participate in the hospital quality program of S. Paulo state, Brazil

INTRODUCTION: The Hospital Quality Program (HQP) in S. Paulo State, Southeastern Brazil, has been conducted by Medical Association of the S. Paulo State - "Associação Paulista de Medicina (APM)", since 1991. General and specialised, public and private hospitals have taken part in the HQP/APM. Such hospitals are evaluated by their users by means of the HQP-06 ("users' evaluation") questionnaire, with closed and open-ended questions for observations and suggestions. The results of the HQP-06 questionnaire of the HQP/APM are evaluated. MATERIAL AND METHODOLOGY: The 23,751 questionnaires (i.e., from 5.27% of all discharged patients), received by 66 hospitals during 1994, were analysed. The questionnaire flow, the quantity and quality of answers, the data from the closed of and open-ended answers and the comparison of closed and open-ended answers, were all taken into consideration in the analysed. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The following aspects were observed: - the importance of the direct flow of questionnaires from users to HQP/APM; - the need for HQP-06 to contain general items that permit a comparison between the hospitals concerned; the importance of the hospital staff being motivated to offer explanations when giving the questionnaires to users and the latters' being motivated to answer them with a view to the greater quantity and better quality of the answers; - in the hospitals of the HQP the user's evaluation presents a median of 4.32% (25%ile = 1.83% and 75%ile = 7.92%), and the number of questionnaires containing observations about the service as compared with the total presents a median of 42.11% (25%ile = 27.28% and 75%ile = 57.82%). Finally, hospital managements are recommended to take their users opinions into consideration with a view to obtaining feed- back and the continuos quality improvement of the hospitals of the HQP/APM.

Consumer satisfaction; Quality assurance; Hospitals