What is interesting to note is that as more research results are coming in, we are learning that patient satisfaction is not so dependant upon the amount of money spent or the accessibility issues as previously thought. Rather, presence of these two factors still cannot guarantee patient satisfaction. Another observation comes into light is that patient satisfaction does not depend upon whether a country is developed or underdeveloped. (Gewertz, 2005) One of the best examples identifying the problem is the state of Kerala, which is one of the poor states of India.
Despite its many challenges, Kerala enjoys a long life expectancy and low infant mortality rates. By increasing the literacy levels among the public, especially the women folk, the health sector is able to send its message across to many more than it did before, with improving results and more ears each time to listen. Conducting researches in this area has led to an interesting discovery that the social determinants actually play a vital role in the success of health care initiative and policies.
Although these factors at a single glance may seem entirely unrelated, a closer examination and correlation has shown that literacy and education, sanitation, proper transport and clean water, and the socioeconomic quality, all are important in assessing the success of a system. The key is taking in a broader view of the surroundings of the healthcare system and adjusting accordingly to the needs and demands of the place. (Gewertz, 2005) The same example also in many ways dismisses the universal standardisation of the healthcare systems that have been so passionately discussed across the world.
It is important to identify the regional needs of healthcare and responding accordingly, rather than removing the cultural fragments that make them and providing a strict standard of protocols. For example, rotaviral vaccines would be highly appreciated in countries that are underdeveloped and where there are cases of children who die each year due to infections by rotavirus. In contrast, mandatory application of such vaccines in developed countries where better healthcare provision facilities and options are available would mean reckless wasting of supplies.
The lesson therefore lies in understanding the needs of the different cultures and situations of healthcare in different countries and working towards providing care in those specific areas. (Gewertz, 2005) Sitzia (1999) in his study points to an interesting aspect in patient satisfaction issues that have been seldom touched upon. Instead to measuring what constitutes a satisfied patient, Sitzia looked in to the validity of the patient satisfaction data that gets published year in and year out in journals all around the world.
Although his research was conducted in 1999, it is still worth mentioning as it overlooks approximately 195 studies conducted over a period of five years. The key concepts in the whole study were identifying the validity and reliability of the concepts. When looking at many of the studies under the validity and reliability concepts, it was seen that most of the studies looking in to patient satisfaction issues were weak at both areas. Although the study probably lags when it comes to the number of sample reports selected, and the inclusion of only those reports that were done so in English language, much inference can be obtained from it.
The study showed that there was very vague defining among the different survey takers about the word satisfaction and what would constitute it. Only 6% of the studies included showed minimum evidence of the use of validity and reliability, and that too, to some extent. The results of these studies may in fact be incorrect as the main methods to reliability and validity are not followed through, the concept of satisfaction has not been described well and left to the survey taker to decide, leading to all types of interpretations, and overall giving a very superficial result to the queries.
(Sitzia, 1999) This would also mean that when looking at the different studies selected for reviewing patient satisfaction, one must be able to identify the studies that are using the correct methodology from those which are not. The results obtained from the faulty studies may lead to wrong conclusions, making the pictures better or worst than original.