2012 220-148 Opioid Treatment Sub-Study 1.1: Assessing Satisfaction in Opioid Treatment Programs in Florida

Publication Date: September 2012

For several decades, the measurement and evaluation of patient satisfaction with health care practices has been recognized as an important facet of health services research (Ware, Davies-Avery, & Stewart, 1978; Ware, Snyder, & Wright, 1976, 1977). In substance abuse treatment, client satisfaction can be conceptualized in multiple ways including evaluation of the program environment, the treatment providers, and whether or not clients agree that their needs are addressed (Simpson, Joe, Rowan-Szal, & Greener, 1997). Although some questions remain as to how to best assess satisfaction, there is widespread recognition that such assessments are an important element in evaluating health care quality across a broad range of conditions and services (Alden, Hoa, & Bhawuk, 2004; Grol, 2001; Kasarabada, Hser, Boles, & Huang, 2002). The World Health Organization (WHO) (2000) endorses patient satisfaction surveys as a vital component for improving substance abuse treatment programming. This research evaluated patient satisfaction and treatment experiences and their impact.