Last update:
05-Jun-2022

ΟBJECTIVE To evaluate the degree of satisfaction of the parents of hospitalized children with the quality and results of the care provided, and to exploration of various aspects of the hospital facilities and procedures (i.e., accessibility, availability of resources, infrastructure, hospitalization and treatment procedures) associated with parental satisfaction in the state health system of Greece.

METHOD A cross-sectional anonymous study was conducted with 120 parents of children who were hospitalized for more than 3 days in the general medical and surgical clinics of the Athens General Children's Hospitals "Aghia Sophia" and "Panagiotis and Aglaia Kyriakou". The research instrument used was the Swedish Pyramid Quality of Care Questionnaire: Parents' Version.

RESULTS The satisfaction of the participating parents was at high levels, with a total score of 80.2%. The attitude of the medical and nursing staff (satisfaction score 93.11%), the medical and nursing care (92.32%), and the information provided about the illness/condition of the child (84.75%), were the highest contributors to this score. The lowest levels of satisfaction concerned the accessibility of health services (66.16%), and the working environment of the staff (68.14%), two dimensions that were highly-moderately correlated with the total satisfaction score. Dissatisfaction with waiting times was related mainly to clinical and laboratory tests, but the more serious the child's condition, the greater was the satisfaction with the waiting time. The main expectation of the parents was good treatment and access to appropriate hospital care, and they evaluated as the main result of treatment the relief of the child and information about his(her) condition.

CONCLUSIONS Parental satisfaction with hospital pediatric care is at very high levels, mainly due to the perceived attitudes, knowledge and skills of the medical and nursing staff and the information they provide. Problems of accessibility, lack of infrastructure and the work intensity and overload of the hospital personnel are the factors that were perceived to limit the quality of the services provided, and therefore the satisfaction of the parents. Change of strategy, applying the family-centered model in state pediatric hospital care, could increase its quality and the effectiveness and efficacy of the pediatric healthcare services of the Greek National Health System.

Key words: Family-centered care, Healthcare quality, Parental satisfaction, Pediatric care.