Perceptions and Expectations about Care in Hospitalized Patients over 75 Years of Age

Abstract

Objective: To know the expectations and perceptions of patients over 75 years of age, regarding the quality of care provided to acutely ill geriatric patients admitted to the Hospital Virgen del Valle de Toledo Spain. Methods: Design: An observational, descriptive, cross-sectional study. Location of study: Geriatric Hospital Virgen del Valle Toledo (Spain). Subjects: Patients older than 75 years of age admitted to the Acute Treatment Unit at Hospital Virgen del Valle de Toledo. Sample size: 267 patients (p = 0.5, confidence interval 95%, e = 0.06). Measures: Validated questionnaire based on the SERVQUAL model to measure the expectations and perceptions of care. Results: The global assessment of overall satisfaction with the attention and care they received was "moderately good". Higher scores were obtained in the assessment of “care” than in “attention received”, in general. The results highlighted the importance of empathy and information. The theory suggesting that satisfaction with the nursing staff is a good predictor of overall satisfaction with the hospital has found support in this study. Conclusion: There exists an urgent need, when it comes to caring for older people, to increase the level of knowledge about the patient’s preferences along with understanding their expectations, in order to help develop better care. Knowledge of the deficiencies of care provides professionals with information indicating where they should intervene to make favourable changes with a resultant increase in patient satisfaction.