Background: The customer's final satisfaction with health services depends to some extent, on the relationship between expectancy and perceived quality. Focus groups technique helps in the knowledge of those attributes that patients identified as perceived quality.
Material and methods: The study was performed in the Hospital Clínic i Provincial of Barcelona (HCPB), Spain, by selecting a sample of patient's included in the admission's waiting list (1994) of three common procedures: lens extraction, abdominal hernia repair and routine pregnancy control. The patients were distributed in 12 different semi-structured interview groups (focus groups) and video-taped. From the analysis of those tapes, the main concerns and aspects highlighted by consumers were identified, following a common set of rules: wording, context, internal consistency, precision/vagueness of answers and basic ideas.
Results: A total of 106 patients attend the interview. Patients with loss of visual acuity underscore the contribution of quality of life improvement expected from the procedure (technical quality of the surgical procedure, physical improvement and final outcomes). Patient's with abdominal hernia repair highlight the appearance and comfort of hospital setting as the most important item. Pregnant women emphasize the importance of a good follow-up process after delivery, as well as the need for individual services (dignity and intimate).
Conclusion: The semi-structured interview method (focus group) could be applied in the context of our hospitals, and contribute to improve quality management at our institutions, making effective the patient participation.