Abstract:
Background: Patient Satisfaction is an expression of the gap between the expected and perceived characteristics of a service. Patient satisfaction with the healthcare services largely determines their compliance with the treatment and thus contributes to the positive influence on health. Patient satisfaction survey is a commonly used method to assess the non-technical aspects of quality of care. Out-patient department is the first point of contact with patient and serves as the window to any health care services provided to the community.
Objective: The main objective of this study was to assess the relationship between waiting time and patient satisfaction at out-patient department in Nigest Eleni Mohammed Hospital.
Methods: A facility based cross sectional study was conducted. A total of 438 adult patients were selected randomly and a pre tested, standardized and interviewer administered questionnaire and direct observational recording of time was used to collect the data. SPSS version 16 statistical package was used for data entry and analysis.
Result:- A total of 381(87%) participants were interviewed and their waiting time were recorded. The average waiting time at OPD and satisfaction rate were found to be 30.9 minutes and 75.1% respectively. Long waiting time at OPD above the average was strongly associated with rate of dissatisfaction. The rate of satisfaction decreased by 77% for patients who waited for more than an hour compared to respondents who waited less than 30 minutes (AOR= 0.23 at 95% CI; 0.03, 0.79 ).
Conclusion and recommendation: Quality of care is at the intersection between providers’ performance and patients’ expectations. Patient satisfaction is also a function of many attributes, one of which is waiting time. This study showed that long waiting time decreases satisfaction. Dissatisfied patients would have poor compliance and adherence with the treatment and thus contributing to the negative influence on health. Therefore the hospital should work to decrease waiting time of patients at OPD and increase patient satisfaction rate.
