Assessment Of Patients Satisfaction With Health Care Services At The Out-Patient Department Of Naguru-China Hospital

Abstract

ABSTRACT Introduction: Patients‟ satisfaction remains an important indicator for quality health services and in order to ensure to promote patients‟ health seeking behaviors it is important to pinpoint which areas at the Outpatient department of a hospital causes patients to lose satisfaction in the service. Objectives of the study: To assess patients‟ satisfaction with; medical services, waiting time and the organizational care at the OPD of NCH. Methods: A cross-sectional study done with real-time data collection. Tools such as standard questionnaires and an observational checklist were employed. For analysis, Microsoft excel was used for data entry and transfers were made to IBM SPSS Version 23 for analysis. Results: Overall, patients‟ opinion was observed to be fairly good and appeared to be fairly satisfied with the health services at OPD in NCH. With much praise going to the availability of drugs and staff being present to attend to patients. Also the dress code of the staff showed professionalism and brought satisfaction to most of the patients. However, the downsides are in queuing indiscipline by other patients while in line to receive drugs, also long waiting time while at the consultation area. Conclusion: Most patients appreciate the presence of the facility design that accommodates handicapped patients and those using wheel chairs, also the presence of most drugs was noted and professionalism by the staff especially in courtesy and dress code. Other than that, the only challenges were in long waiting times of more than 1 hour by over 68.4% of the patients experiencing this. Recommendations: The research study identified key areas that can be improved in order to promote patients‟ satisfaction with the health services received at the OPD in NCH. Areas such as waiting time to see the doctor; this could probably be solved by having more staff to tackle the big load of patients flowing into the OPD and also starting time can also be adjusted so as to manage the patients faster and earlier.