Abstract:
The department of nutrition in the Mental Health Hospital in Taif, Saudi Arabia,
is under government control and must follow governmental rules. The patients’ food is
prepared by a company that has a contract with the Saudi government, Ministry of
Health. The government requires patient satisfaction surveys to be conducted regularly, and summarized monthly, to ensure the foodservice operation is meeting the needs of the patients who live at the Mental Health Hospital. To obtain payment, the contractor must receive an average of 80 percent on a monthly questions patient satisfaction survey regarding food-related issues. The survey questions have never been analyzed individually to identify trends that might indicate areas where a foodservice operation could make changes to improve the patients’ quality of life. The purpose of this study is to analyze the monthly surveys collected for the past twelve months, obtained from both male and female adult wards, question by question, in an effort to identify specific areas where persistent, dietary-related problems exist that could be addressed in an effort to
improve the quality of the foodservice operation, and thus the quality of life of the individuals who must live in the Mental Health Hospital in Taif, Saudi Arabia. Results of this longitudinal analysis indicated that the lowest patient satisfaction score obtained consistently over time related to the employees’ uniform and personal hygiene. Specific suggestions to improve patient satisfaction are provided.
