Patients' Satisfaction with the Physical Environment of an Oncology Clinic

Abstract

This article presents the results of a one-month pilot survey designed to obtain baseline indicators of cancer patients' satisfaction with the physical environment of an oncology outpatient clinic located in the Montreal metropolitan area. Because the clinic was moving to a new location, the staff expressed the need to take these indicators into account. To accomplish the objectives of the study, the author distributed a self-administered questionnaire to a convenience sample of 55 patients who were attending the clinic for chemotherapy or follow-up. According to the results of the survey, patients were most concerned about three aspects of the physical environment in the clinic: lack of privacy, including lack of confidentiality of information; and physical discomfort associated with odors such as disinfectants.