Abstract
Patient satisfaction is one of the vital attributes to consider when evaluating the impact of accreditation systems. This study aimed to explore the impact of the national accreditation system in Lebanon on patient satisfaction. An explanatory cross-sectional study of six hospitals in Lebanon. Patient satisfaction was measured using the SERVQUAL tool assessing five dimensions of quality (reliability, assurance, tangibility, empathy, and responsiveness). Independent variables included hospital accreditation scores, size, location (rural/urban), and patient demographics. The majority of patients (76.34%) were unsatisfied with the quality of services. There was no statistically significant association between accreditation classification and patient satisfaction. However, the tangibility dimension - reflecting hospital structural aspects such as physical facility and equipment was found to be associated with patient satisfaction. This study brings to light the importance of embracing more adequate patient satisfaction measures in the Lebanese hospital accreditation standards. Furthermore, the findings reinforce the importance of weighing the patient perspective in the development and implementation of accreditation systems. As accreditation is not the only driver of patient satisfaction, hospitals are encouraged to adopt complementary means of promoting patient satisfaction.
Highlights
Accreditation programs, which have been implemented in many developing countries, are used as a regulatory tool to ensure quality of service and efficient use of resources [1,2]
In light of limited evidence on the influence of accreditation from the standpoint of patients in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region [19], this study aimed to explore the relationship between patient satisfaction and hospitals’ classification according to the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) accreditation survey results
No significant association was observed between patient characteristics, such as age, gender, income, and education level, and their satisfaction with the quality of services provided by the hospital (Table 1)
Summary
Accreditation programs, which have been implemented in many developing countries, are used as a regulatory tool to ensure quality of service and efficient use of resources [1,2] Health organizations use this system to evaluate their processes and improve the quality of services delivered [3]. Healthcare managers can benefit from satisfaction ratings to enhance structures, processes and outcomes of care, [5,8] as well as pinpoint areas for improvement [9]. It has been well-established that customer satisfaction results in patients
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