Using the Delphi Technique to Select Items for Use in Assessing Patients' Satisfaction with Dysphagia Services

Items for potential use in a survey for the assessment of patients' satisfaction with dysphagia services was developed using the Delphi technique. A panel of speech-language pathologists was provided with 105 potential survey items. They were asked to rate the items with respect to perceived importance in assessing patients' satisfaction. 45 items were rated as “very important.” Items concerning the issues of information giving and the conduct and characteristics of the clinician were most common among the selected items. No items focusing on accessibility of services or quality of the treatment environment were in the “very important” group.