To evaluate patient characteristics and satisfaction in an outpatient service at a university hospital, aiming at obtaining subsidies for standardization of a quality assessment program. Patient-representative sample was selected. It consisted of users of the Ophthalmology Outpatient Service at the Hospital das Clínicas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). A structured questionnaire was applied through interview, including the following variables: personal characteristics (gender, age, literacy, job), type of appointment (new patient, follow-up), waiting time for the first appointment, opinion regarding ease of access to the hospital, assistance at the front desk, time spent in the waiting room on the appointed day, quality of care, degree of satisfaction with the consultation and general evaluation of the assistance. The sample was characterized by patients with low literacy and socioeconomic level; 21.7% had a steady income. The majority of them think that it is easy to obtain an appointment. According to patients, the mean waiting time for the appointment was 94.6 minutes and 45.3% of them received no orientation after the appointment. Final evaluation of the quality of assistance was positive and patients were satisfied with the provided assistance. Although a high level of satisfaction regarding the provided service was observed, when the various factors that can affect patient satisfaction are considered, users reported limitations as concerns quality. Evaluation allowed a better knowledge about the provided service in a university hospital and pointed to the possibility of implantation of quality assessment routines.69731-6