Impact of Frontline Staff’ Behaviors and Waiting Time on the Patients’ Behavior in the Outpatient Departments (OPDs): A Cross-Sectional Study of Tertiary Care Hospitals

Abstract

Healthcare is a crucial service whereby frontline workers' behavior and waiting time play more critical roles in the quality of the service than other services. As patients are exposed to a more unstable psychological state, their behavioral dissonances may hinder the quality of care provided. The behavioral patterns of both the employees and the patients are critical aspects of healthcare leadership and management alike This study explored the impact of frontline employees and waiting times on the patient’s behavior. A quantitative, cross-sectional approach was applied with deductive logic to conduct this study. A pre-validated structured questionnaire, adapted and cited from different sources, was administered among patients in five major, private tertiary care hospitals in Karachi, Pakistan through a non-probability judgmental sampling. The findings revealed a significant effect of both the behavior of employees and waiting time on the patients’ behavior. Policymakers may utilize the study findings to train empathy and a patient-centric approach to modify the behavior of employees to counter unpleasant patient behavior and produce satisfaction leading to improved quality of care.