Level Of Patient’s Satisfaction with Physical Therapy Services in Public and Private Hospitals

Abstract

Background: Physical therapy, a non-pharmacological intervention, plays a crucial role in aiding patients to improve disabilities and enhance their daily functional activities. Evaluating patient satisfaction is pivotal in understanding the efficacy of interaction and knowledge transfer between healthcare providers, particularly physical therapists, and their patients. Objective: This study aimed to assess the level of patient satisfaction with physical therapy services in public and private hospital settings in Gujrat, Pakistan. Methods: The study included 340 participants, selected through a non-probability convenience sampling technique from hospitals in Gujrat. The study encompassed patients from all conditions within the domain of physical therapy, who had attended at least one session of treatment. Exclusion criteria were set for patients with mental retardation, Parkinson’s disease, and cognitive disabilities. A 12-item MedRisk questionnaire was employed to evaluate patient satisfaction levels with physical therapy services. Results: The participant group comprised 141 males (41.5%) and 199 females (58.5%), with a mean age of 42.10 years (SD=15.80). Regarding the hospital setting, 177 participants received therapy in public hospitals, while 163 were treated in private hospitals. Satisfaction levels varied, with 9 participants (2.6%) reporting strong dissatisfaction, 159 (46.8%) expressing moderate satisfaction, and 172 (50.6%) indicating strong satisfaction. Specifically, in public hospitals, 9 participants were strongly dissatisfied, 113 moderately satisfied, and 55 strongly satisfied. In contrast, in private hospitals, no participants were strongly dissatisfied, 46 were moderately satisfied, and 117 were strongly satisfied. The statistical significance was marked with a p-value of 0.000. Conclusion: The study concluded that there was a higher level of satisfaction with physical therapy services in private hospitals compared to public hospitals in Gujrat. This finding underscores the need for continual improvement and evaluation of patient care standards in different healthcare settings.