Patient Satisfaction and Their Determinants in Outpatient Department

Abstract

Introduction: Patient satisfaction provides insight into how closely healthcare practitioners adhere to their patients' expectations and preferences, acting as a compass to guide our knowledge of the quality of treatment. It illuminates the worldwide healthcare scene and serves as a universal symbol of patient-centered care.

Aims: To analyses the patient satisfaction among OPD Attendees of a tertiary care hospital in northern India. To study the level of satisfaction among OPD Patients, the level of satisfaction among the patients regarding the behavior of the hospital staff, the perception of patients about cleanliness in the OPD of the hospital and the perception of patients about diagnostic services in the OPD of the hospital.

Materials and method: The questionnaire for data collection will be prepared after reviewing the existing literature on patient satisfaction studies conducted globally. We shall make a Feedback Form in which various diagnostic facilities of the hospital, staff, cleanliness and overall experience in a hospital will be given a rating from 0 to 10. Data will be collected from various departments of the hospital including OPDs of General Surgery, General Medicine, Gynaecology, Opthalmology, Dermatology and Orthopedics. Feedback will be stored in MasterCard or forms and results will be drawn from them at the end.

Result: In our study, 20 (20%) patients were Literate, 30 (30%) patients were Illiterate, 12 (12%) patients were Primary level, 35 (35%) patients were Secondary level, and 3 (3%) patients were Higher education. The value of z is 5.3033. The value of p is < .00001. . In our study, 55 (55%) patients were Satisfied with OPD time. The value of z is 0. The value of p is 1. The result is not significant at p < .05. In our study, 70 (70%) patients were Willingness to return. The value of z is 8.6603. The value of p is < .00001.

Conclusion: The study's findings about the factors that influence patient satisfaction in outpatient departments emphasize how crucial it is to recognize and cater to patients' wants and preferences in healthcare settings. Healthcare administrators and legislators can adopt targeted reforms to improve the patient experience by identifying critical aspects that impact satisfaction levels, such as waiting times, contact with healthcare staff, and overall facility atmosphere. In addition to providing insightful information on the intricacies of outpatient care, this research lays the groundwork for the creation of patient-centered care delivery systems. Going forward, maintaining focus on these factors will be crucial to encouraging greater patient satisfaction and, eventually, raising the caliber of outpatient services rendered.