Patient Satisfaction Survey in Inpatients of a Tertiary care Teaching Hospital

Abstract

With the ever changing health care scenario demanding highest of quality care coupled with high expectations of patients to have their needs well satisfied when they visit a health care provider, there is an imminent need for every hospital to be aware of the demand and make all out efforts, to meet them, in order to remain as an active player in the field. Patients expect to be satisfied not only by the quality of health care they receive, but also fulfillment of their needs at all service areas of a health care institution where ever they require to interact. Keeping with the vision of the institution, to provide always the best of patient care to its clientele, a patient satisfaction survey in inpatients of a tertiary care teaching hospital has been carried out. Methodology adopted was to capture responses of a sample of patients, on a structured questionnaire, covering various dimensions of patient satisfaction. Patients' ratings and suggestions showed that while the quality of medical and nursing care has adequately satisfied them, the ancillary services of the hospital, such as the environment, meal service, billing and pharmacy, seemed to be wanting in meeting the desired satisfaction levels and thus rendering them the focus areas for improvement. Patient satisfaction survey is a valuable tool to measure the outcomes of quality care rendered by a health care institution. Meeting the patient needs and expectations at every service transaction, not only indicates the quality of care delivered but also is vital to the institution's reputation and its sustenance through competitive environment.