Does implementation of ISO standards in hospitals improve patient satisfaction?

Around the world, a large number of projects have been developed with the aim of assessing patient satisfaction especially in hospitals. As an important indicator of the quality of health care system, Patients’ perception of health care has been the center of attention over the recent 20 years.
402 patients who were hospitalized in teaching hospitals affiliated to the Shiraz University of Medical Sciences were investigated. Patients’ satisfactions of the health care services were assessed using the translated and modified version of the KQCAH consisted of 44 questions divided to7 categories of Respect and Caring, Effectiveness and Continuity, Appropriateness, Information, Efficiency, Meals, First Impression, Staff Diversity. All of the patients were asked to fill out the questionnaire (with written informed consents) at the time of discharge from the hospitals.
Regarding total score of patient satisfaction the ISO-certified hospitals did not show advantages over the uncertified hospitals. The total score of patients’ satisfaction ranged from 66.5 to 77.5 in. Overall, only in one ISO-certified hospital the total score of patient satisfaction representing all dimensions, was significantly higher comparing to other hospitals included in the study.
It seems that solitary application of ISO standards could not improve patient satisfaction in hospitals affiliated to Shiraz University of Medical Sciences.