Developing an instrument to measure satisfaction with continuity of midwifery care drawing on the Delphi technique

BACKGROUND: Maternal satisfaction with maternity care is an important indicator of quality maternity services. Continuity of midwifery models of care are increasing in Australia and while several instruments have been developed to measure satisfaction with maternity care most of these have not been validated and there are none that are appropriate to continuity of midwifery maternity care models.

AIM: To develop a questionnaire to measure women's satisfaction with maternity services provided in a continuity of midwifery care service model.

METHODS: A modified Delphi technique was used. A heterogenous panel of eight experts provided feedback over four rounds. The starting point for the questionnaire was informed by two systematic literature reviews focusing on available instruments for measuring maternal satisfaction with maternity care and what women value continuity of midwifery models of care.

FINDINGS: The Continuity of Midwifery Care Satisfaction Survey (COMcareSS) was developed after four rounds of feedback with the expert panel. The survey comprises nine domains and fifty-nine questions. The domains include demographics, maternity care outcomes, facilities, the midwife/woman relationship, building capacity-empowerment, decision making and involvement, personalised care, advice care and support and general.

CONCLUSIONS: Consumer satisfaction is an important indicator of quality care. This is the first instrument to be developed that is appropriate to continuity of midwifery models of care. The important next step is to pilot test the instrument to establish its validity and reliability.