Patient and caregiver satisfaction with end-of-life care: does high satisfaction mean high quality of care?

The purpose of this study was to determine patient and caregiver satisfaction with a hospice program of care. The setting for the study was a home-care hospice in the southeastern United States that provides a full range of services for patients with life-limiting illness and supportive services for family caregivers. Two Likert-type instruments were used to determine satisfaction with staff, communication, education, information provided, symptom management, promptness with service, and overall satisfaction.