Abstract

The aims of this study are to evaluate the quality of hospital food services and the evaluate the quality in selected hospitals trough the use of the questionnaires. A survey of 30 hospital food and nutrition service department was undertaken and detailed information was collected from each, including, surveys of 1,016 patient. Statistical data analysis was completed using the SAS/win 6.11 package for descriptive analysis, t-test chi2-test ANOVA principal component analysis, and cluster analysis and cluster analysis. In the case of patient satisfaction with hospital food and food services, overall satisfaction scores of male and female were 3.54 and 3.45 showing higher levels than the average score(3.00) The aspect of the food and food service which received the lowest ratings by patients was 'meal rounding while dining'. After conduction of factor analysis of variables affecting the patients meal satisfaction 3 groups including the 'menu satisfaction factor', 'service satisfaction factor' and 'nutrition management satisfaction factor' were selected. 3 clusters were categorized by the 'service cluster' 'nutrition management cluster', 'men cluster', and 'menu nutrition service cluster' after conducting a cluster analysis with influencing variables affecting patients meal satisfaction. The overview results of patient satisfaction by cluster were : in the case of the service group, such factors as taste, portion size, dealing with complaints while dining meal rounding while dining should be managed with caution In case of the nutrition management group, such factors as taste, portion size, temperature of the food intake, and dependence on hospital food should be managed with care, In the case of the menu groups, such factors as punctuality of meal times, contaminated substances in meals and serving mistakes, cleanliness of dishes, kindness of the server meal rounding while dining should by particularly managed with importance.

• Keywords: patient satisfaction; principal component analysis,cluster ananlysis