Abstract

CANO, Sara M; GIRALDO, Alvaro  and  FORERO, Constanza. The concept of health quality: results of the experiences of care.Medellín, Colombia. Rev. Fac. Nac. Salud Pública [online]. 2016, vol.34, n.1, pp.48-53. ISSN 0120-386X.  https://doi.org/10.17533/udea.rfnsp.v34n1a06.

This study was conducted with users from the subsidized health regime living in district 16, in the city of Medellin, Colombia, 2010. Objective: to understand the experiences and meanings that users of the subsidized health regime living in district 16 have regarding the quality of care in health services. Methodology: qualitative and ethnographic research. Ten users of the subsidized regime were interviewed. They were over 18 and from either sex. Results: the meaning of quality emerges from the experiences of these users when using health care services. To facilitate their understanding, the health care process was divided into 4 stages: pre-care, initial care, care per se and post-care. For users, quality is dictated by three factors: how humanely they have been treated, whether the problem was solved or not and the extent to which their expectations have been met. Conclusion:Experiences vary throughout the stages of the process and condition the users' meaning of quality. For users, humane treatment, equity and participation are vital.

Keywords : health care quality; patient satisfaction; humanization of health care.

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