Health service providers should strive to meet service users' expectations. That idea commands widespread support - at least in general terms. But which service users' expectations should health service providers work to identify and fulfil, how, and with what kind of priority? These questions can generate multiple and conflicting answers, in part because expectations can take many forms, are not always recognized in advance of service use, are sometimes deemed somehow unrealistic or unreasonable1 and influence experiences and evaluations in complex ways that are not fully understood. If our research and debates are going to inform health service providers' attempts to meet service users' expectations, we need, among other things, to be clear about the nature of the service users' expectations we study and talk about.
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