Title: Patient Satisfaction: An Informative Tool towards Improvement of Quality Health Care in a Tertiary Care Hospital
Authors: Dr Chhaya Rajguru, Dr Mukund Paithankar, Dr Nikhil Nishant, Dr Lalit Sankhe
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.18535/jmscr/v6i2.82
Abstract
Background: Patient satisfaction is considered as one of the desired outcomes of health care and a significant indicator of the health care quality. It is directly related to the utilization of health services. There are many factors which have an impact on patient satisfaction and its knowledge provides the necessary information for designing and implementing programs to satisfy patients. Other industries have been paying attention to customer satisfaction for years. “Health care is the only industry that for years has left the customer out of it. To ignore the customer’s desires is not living with reality”
Objectives: The purpose is to study the satisfaction level of patients regarding various services provided in a tertiary care hospital and find the lacunas.
Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among patients attending the outpatient department of a Tertiary Care Hospital. The study was conducted over a span of 3 months. A preformed pre-structured questionnaire was prepared and face to face interview was done regarding various clinical and support services.
Result: A total of 514 persons were interviewed. The overall satisfaction level was very high (93.2%). Waiting time is reasonable on most of the accounts and most of the patients were satisfied with the behaviour and services provided by the health staff and doctors.
Conclusion: The study emphasising the fact that the service by the Government tertiary care hospital is overall of good quality. Assessing satisfaction of patients is a simple and cost effective way for assessment of hospital services. It provides the opportunity for organization managers and policy makers to yield a better understanding of patient views and perceptions, and the extent of their involvement in improving the quality of care and services
Keywords: Patient Satisfaction, Waiting time, Cleanliness. Health care services.
References
- Al-Abri R, Al-Balushi A. Patient Satisfaction Survey as a Tool Towards Quality Improvement. Oman Med J. 2014;29(1):3–7.
- Mishra PH, Mishra T. Study of Patient Satisfaction at a Super Specialty Tertiary Care Hospital. Indian J Clin Pract. 2014;25(7).
- Rajeswari T. A Study To Assess Patient ’s Satisfaction With Quality Of Nursing Care. 2011.
- Sharma A, Kasar PK, Sharma R. Patient Satisfaction About Hospital Services : A Study From The Outpatient Department Of Tertiary Care Hospital , Jabalpur , Madhya Pradesh, India. Natl J Community Med. 2014;5(2):199–203.
- Mankar M, Velankar D, Joshi S, Nalgundwar A. Study Of Patient Satisfaction Towards Out Patient Department Services ( OPD ) Of A Hospital And Research Centre Using Exit Interview. Indian J Prev Soc 2013;44(1).
- Mohd A, Chakravarty A. Patient satisfaction with services of the outpatient department. Med J Armed Forces India. 2014;70:237–42.
- Merkouris A, Andreadou A, Athini E, Hatzimbalasi M, Papastavrou E. Assessment of patient satisfaction in public hospitals in Cyprus: a descriptive study. Heal Sci J. 2013;7(1):28–40.
- Ahmed F, Yasir I, Hameedi K, Ahmed S, Ahmed W, Maroof, et al. Assessment Of Opd Patient ’ S Satisfaction With Health Care Services At Al-Nafees Medical Hospital. ISRA Med J. 2015;7(3):154–9.
- Lyngkhoi R, Brindha G. A Study on Patient Satisfaction of Outpatient Department. Indian J Sci Technol. 2015;8(November):1–5.
- Garg N, Gupta SK, Mahesh R. Patient Satisfaction Survey at a Tertiary Care Speciality Hospital. Int J Res Found Hosp Healthc Adm. 2014;2(December):79–83.
- Quintana JM, González N, Bilbao A, Aizpuru F, Escobar A, Esteban C, et al. Predictors of patient satisfaction with hospital health care. BMC Health Serv Res. 2006;6.
- Kausar H, Shafee M, Gangwal PR. Assessment of Satisfaction among OPD Patients at Noor Hospital, Warudi, Badnapur. MRIMS J Heal Sci. 2015;3(1):42–4.
- Sanjeewa G, Senevirathne R. Patient Satisfaction with Health Care Services Delivered at the Out Patients Department- Case study at Teaching Hospital Karapitiya Sri Lanka. Heal Care Curr Rev. 2017;5(2).