Introduction. Opinion research showing the degree of meeting patients' requirements by health care allows for the successful identification of needs and for the focus on the areas that should be improved and further developed. Aim of the study. Assessment of specialist health care services' quality by patients from Eastern Poland was the goal of work. Material and methods. Diagnostic poll method, survey technique was used when conducting this study. Authorial questionnaire which was used to assess the quality level and the level of satisfaction with specialist health care services was the research tool. SAS Enterprise Guide software was used to analyze the gathered data. Statistical significance of p < 0.05 was assumed which indicated statistically important differences or correlations. Chi² Pearson, t-Student and r-Spearman tests were used. The surveyed group consisted of 144 patients using medical services in specialist clinics. Results. Age and education as well as waiting time and accessibility of services had influence on patients' satisfaction with specialist health care services. The most unsatisfied patients were below 20 years old and had primary education. The shorter the waiting time and the better the quality of services the more satisfied the patient was. Sex and place of residence had no influence on patients' satisfaction with medical services. Conclusions. Quality of medical services is one of the means of competitiveness on the medical market but it is mostly related to improving patients' satisfaction with medical services and meeting patients' expectations.

Key words: quality, satisfaction, medical care, patient.