Determinants of patient satisfaction after cataract surgery in 3 settings

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Abstract
To analyze the determinants of satisfaction and postoperative visual function after cataract surgery in 3 settings in The Netherlands. University Hospital Maastricht (outpatient care), Atrium Medical Center Heerlen (inpatient care), and Medical Center Maastricht Annadal (outpatient care), Maastricht, The Netherlands. This cross-sectional study consisted of 150 patients of 50 years and older who had first-eye phacoemulsification with intraocular lens implantation. Data were collected by a written questionnaire. The following parameters were measured: medical outcome, postoperative function, patient satisfaction with medical outcome and hospital care, and overall patient satisfaction. In general, patients were very satisfied (mean score 8.43 on a 10-point scale ranging from 1 = very bad to 10 = excellent). The 3 centers did not differ regarding the patient satisfaction (P = .092). However, postoperative visual function (P = .012), counseling (P = .010), and waiting time (P < .001) were different among the settings. Patient satisfaction with hospital care had a stronger correlation with overall satisfaction than patient satisfaction with the medical outcome (r = 0.669 versus r = 0.543, respectively). A causal model of patient satisfaction was tested, indicating that satisfaction was related to the patient’s preoperative expectations and the quality of care given during the hospital stay and follow-up at the outpatient clinic. This emphasizes the relevance of patient education (to set realistic expectations) and counseling (need for care) by hospital staff in a cataract surgery setting.

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