A patient satisfaction questionnaire used by a private, nonprofit
psychiatric hospital was revised to include issues considered important by
patients. Focus groups were used to obtain patients' written responses to
general questions about the essential aspects of their hospital stay and
factors contributing to their recovery. Other issues were identified
through patients' ratings of a list of items found in the literature or
included on the hospital's current questionnaire. The results indicated
that caring staff, explanations of treatment, and involvement in groups and
classes were considered most important by patients.
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