Cross-Sectional Study of Clients’ Satisfaction With Outpatient and Inpatient Services of Public Health Facilities of a North Indian State

Manmeet Kaur,Abu Bashar,Rajesh Kumar,Tarundeep Singh

doi:10.1177/1178632920929969

Abstract

Satisfaction with health care services is a desired outcome of health care delivery. Nonetheless, there is scant information on client satisfaction with services provided in public health facilities in India. A cross-sectional study of persons attending public health facilities in Punjab, North India, was carried out in 2016. All district hospitals, subdistrict hospitals, 2 community health centres (CHCs), and 6 primary health centres (PHCs) were randomly selected from each of the 22 districts. A 60-item pre-tested and validated questionnaire was used to collect data. Participants (3278 outpatient department [OPD] and 1614 inpatient department [IPD]) visiting health care facilities were interviewed. Majority of OPD participants were satisfied with registration process, care providers, and personal issues like safety and security at the health facilities. Major domains of dissatisfaction were long waiting time and concern shown for patients during lab tests and x-rays. Most IPD participants were satisfied with care received from nurses and doctors, availability of medicines, and hospital environment. Domains of dissatisfaction were cleanliness of rooms and bathrooms and quietness at night. Varying levels of satisfaction were observed for experiences during stay, information about new medicine being given, pain control, and locomotion to bathroom or using bedpan. Around 71% were likely to recommend the health facility to others. Satisfaction with public health facilities is context dependent. Lack of drugs and supplies, poor information about medicines, long waiting time, poor cleanliness, lack of privacy, and peace were the major reasons for dissatisfaction in our study.

Highlights

Patients’ or clients’ satisfaction with health care is an integral component of quality monitoring in health care systems: Providers must get first-hand information from their clients, which should help them to reorient their services by adopting a more client centred approach, transforming their attitude and introducing a convivial ambience at health service outlets based on feedback of their clients.[1]Donabedian defined patient satisfaction as patient-reported outcome measure while the structures and processes of care can be measured by patient-reported experiences.[2]
Information was collected from users or clients seeking health care from public institutions: district hospitals (DHs), subdistrict hospitals (SDH), community health centres (CHCs), and primary health centres (PHCs)
All DHs and SDHs were included in the sample and 2 CHCs and 6 PHCs were randomly selected from the list of CHCs and PHCs in each of the 22 districts

Summary

Introduction

Patients’ or clients’ satisfaction with health care is an integral component of quality monitoring in health care systems: Providers must get first-hand information from their clients, which should help them to reorient their services by adopting a more client centred approach, transforming their attitude and introducing a convivial ambience at health service outlets based on feedback of their clients.[1]. Donabedian defined patient satisfaction as patient-reported outcome measure while the structures and processes of care can be measured by patient-reported experiences.[2] quality assurance and accreditation process in most countries requires that satisfaction of clients be measured on a regular basis.[3]. Quality of health services has been traditionally based on professional practice standards. Donabedian emphasised that client satisfaction is of fundamental importance as a measure of quality of care because it gives information on provider’s success at meeting those client values and expectations, on which client is the ultimate authority.[5,6]

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion