Table 1. Domains of dissatisfaction with healthcare experiences and related codes derived from semi-structured surveys about patient satisfaction.
| Domains and codes* | Sample Quotes |
|---|---|
| Access | |
| Scheduling | “It’s kind of difficult to get appointments.” (Scheduling) |
| Timeliness | |
| High patient volume / crowded | “I couldn’t get in to see my doctor. I had to go to a local doctor.” (Felt forced to go to non-VA facility) |
| Red tape / bureaucracy | |
| Unable to email/call provider | |
| Lack of providers | |
| Lack of treatment options | |
| Felt forced to go to non-VA facility | |
| General mentions of poor care | |
| VA not prepared to address issues specific to women | |
| Felt forced to go to emergency room | |
| Quality of care | |
| Dissatisfied with treatment plan | “I am with her for 5 minutes and she shoves me out the door.” (Didn’t take time) |
| Unsatisfactory diagnosis | |
| General mentions of poor access Didn’t take time | |
| Unresolved medications | “He kept insisting that he couldn’t give me any more medicine, and I kept insisting that I hurt.” (Did not receive medication) |
| Incompetence / unknowledgeable | |
| Did not receive medication/medical equipment | |
| Not thorough | “Getting the doctors and technicians to listen to me as a patient and allowing me to contribute to my healthcare is difficult.” (Involvement in decisions) |
| Negligent | |
| Involvement in decisions | |
| Didn’t protect privacy | |
| Tries to avoid VA services | |
| Inaccurate diagnosis | |
| Facilities | |
| Parking | “I have to go 45 minutes to an hour earlier than my appointment just so I can get parking.” (Parking) |
| Location | |
| Difficult to navigate | |
| Size | “Right now it’s under a bunch of construction and it’s hard to find your way around.” (Renovations) |
| Equipment | |
| Old building | |
| Renovations | |
| Unclean/unsanitary | |
| Inaccessible for persons with disability | |
| Continuity of care | |
| Staff turnover | “She’s never followed up with me, or even called me back either.” (Follow-up) |
| Follow-up | |
| VA to VA coordination | “There’s been numerous occasions when my primary care has put me through for referral … and I never got a phone call with an appointment.” (Inadequate referrals) |
| Inadequate referrals | |
| Not seen by regular provider | |
| Doesn’t review history | |
| General mentions of poor continuity | |
| Interactions with staff | |
| Rude/condescending/hostile | “They don’t listen to me about what helps and what doesn’t help.” (Doesn’t listen) |
| Doesn’t listen | |
| Non-informative | |
| Poor relationship | |
| General mentions of poor interactions | |
| Staff demeanor | |
| Unconcerned/uncaring | “She was mean, mean. She accused me of selling my medications.” (Stigma) |
| Stigma | |
| Dishonest/untrustworthy | “When I go in there, it’s like I’m just a number.” (Treats Veteran like a number) |
| Not accommodating or helpful | |
| Treats Veteran like a number | |
| Unprofessional | |
| Inattentive | |
| Unresolved pain | |
| Perceived drug-seeking | “I’m getting something for pain, but it’s not treating the problem.” (General) |
| General mentions of unresolved pain | |
| Costs | |
| Service connectedness | “[I cannot receive] dental and vision. I am not qualified for it.” (Service connectedness) |
| Copays | |
| Having to pay | |
| Pharmacy services | |
| Pharmacy ordering | “If you go to the pharmacy, you have to pull a number and the waiting time is no sooner than 30 minutes and you can wait an hour before you see them. Then you have to wait again.” (Pharmacy ordering) |
| Non-medical services | |
| Transportation | "I’m somebody who can’t walk right now. It’s so far apart that I need to call for transport and that takes a while." (Transportation) |
*Dissatisfaction domains that emerged from audio-recorded surveys are shown in bold, with individual codes listed blow each domain. Codes present for at least 5% of all participants shown. General codes are statements of dissatisfaction that mention the domain without providing additional detail (e.g., Dissatisfaction with interactions—General: “It’s just that communication is bad.”)