Background.

Nowadays minor surgery is performed by different professionals at primary as well as specialized care. Being a healthcare technology, minor surgery must be assessed in order to achieve an organizational efficiency. User’s satisfaction must be one of the quality criteria. That is why an analysis of the quality perceived by users according to where minor surgery takes place and who carries it out is made.

Methods.

This study explores, conducting telephone surveys, the satisfaction of a sample of 275 minor surgery patients of two hospitals and three primary healthcare areas of Asturias. The survey is based on the SERVQUAL model adapting the one used by the Spanish Ministry of Health in 1977. A behavior pattern of satisfaction was established in terms of the variables that increase or diminish it.

Results.

In every item, satisfaction was perceived as good or very good at least in 84% of the survey users and in the majority was over 95%. There was a significant difference in favor of primary care with respect to waiting time (p<0,001), explanations received (p=0,002) and security perceived (p=0,015). The more explanatory variables of excellent satisfaction were the sense of security and the staff attention. The kind of professional did not represent a conditioning factor and the level of healthcare only appeared to be so among those who did not feel safe showing to be less satisfied those treated in primary care.

Conclusions.

Good quality perceived by users does not seem to be penalized by the fact that minor surgery can be carried out at different healthcare levels or which specialist performs it.

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