Determinants of outpatient’s level of satisfaction at private and public health facilities in mizan-aman town southwest Ethiopia

Abstract

Outpatient’s department patient satisfaction defined as the positive personal perception towards the product or service received from the health institution. The objective of this study was to assess determinants of patient's level of satisfaction at private and public health facilities in Mizan-Aman town Southwest Ethiopia. Institution-based comparative cross-sectional study triangulated with the qualitative study was conducted from April first to May 15 /05/2021. Out of the 3540 target population, the study sample respondents were 348 from both private (174) and public health institutions (174). To select individual study participants, a systematic random sampling method has used. For the qualitative study, interviews were conducted with eight participants, which were selected by purposive sampling methods. To analyze descriptive data descriptive statistics like frequencies and percentages has used. To analyze inferential data ordinal logistic regression and independent sample Mann-Whitney U test done through SPSS version 20 software. The result of this study revealed that being male, able to read and write, attended primary education, attended secondary school and above, Widow/widowed, separated, cheap to pay, tangibility, assurance, and responsiveness were statically significant effect on the level of satisfaction in a public health facility. Unaffordable medication cost, get medication inside, empathy and tangibility were statically significant effects on the level of satisfaction in the private health facility. This investigation concludes that patients at private health facility had a better level of satisfaction than public health facilities These studies recommend that to improve patient's satisfaction; health providers, zonal health office, regional health administration, and minister of health should work collaboratively to make true satisfaction as "right drug for right patient" principle. In addition, governmental health facilities should work with other stakeholders to improve patient satisfaction levels.