Patient satisfaction and quality of life in cancer outpatients:: results of the PASQOC* study

Background: Satisfaction with care and quality of life (QoL) are indicative of the quality of care of cancer patients. The purpose of this study was to lay a cornerstone for patient-centred quality management by assessing the current status of satisfaction with care and QoL among oncological outpatients in Germany, and by identifying the key factors that determine a patient's willingness to recommend a medical facility. Patients and methods: A self-constructed and validated patient satisfaction questionnaire plus the SF-36 were distributed to a random sample of 3384 cancer patients who presented at 24 investigators' offices nationwide within a defined recruiting period and who met the inclusion criteria. The return rate was 81.9% ( n= 2772). A total of 2659 (78.6%) questionnaires were evaluable. The most common cancer types were breast (22.9%) and intestine (19.8%). Results: Overall satisfaction was high, but specific reporting questions revealed many areas for improvement such as shared decision making, doctor-patient communication and organization of care. QoL was significantly impaired in many domains. Patient-provider relationship, facility setting and information on diagnosis and treatment options are major determinants of a patient's willingness to recommend a facility to a friend or relative if needed. Conclusions: This multicentre study focusing on patient perspectives highlights that, although the overall degree of satisfaction was quite high, there are numerous areas for improvement.