Abstract
BackgroundEthiopia has fairly good coverage but very low utilization of health care services. Emergency medical care services require fast, correct and curious services to clients as they present with acute problems. In Ethiopia and Gondar in particular, the quality of emergency medical care has not been studied. The main aim of this study was to assess the disease profile and patients’ satisfaction in Gondar University Referral Hospital (GURH).MethodsA facility based cross-sectional study was conducted among patients visiting GURH for emergency care. Ethical clearance was obtained from the Institutional Review Board of University of Gondar. Patients were selected by systematic random sampling, using patient flow list in the day and night emergency services. Data were collected using a standard Press Ganey questionnaire by BSc health science graduates. Data were entered in to Epi Info 3.5.3 software and exported to SPSS version 20.0 for windows for analysis.ResultsA total of 963 patients (response rate = 96.8%) were studied. The mean (+ s.d.) age of patients was 28.4 (+17.9) years. The overall satisfaction using the mean score indicates that 498 (51.7%) 95%CI: (48.4% - 54.9%) were satisfied with the service, the providers and the facility suitability whereas 465(48.3%) 95%CI: (45.1%- 51.6%) were not satisfied. Seven hundred and six (73.3%) 95%CI: 70.4%-76.1%, patients reported that they have been discriminated or treated badly during the service provision in the hospital. OPD site visited (p < 0.0001), visiting days of the week (P < 0.049), medical condition on arrival (P < 0.0001), degree of confidence in the hospital (AOR = 1.9, 95%CI: 1.1, 3.1), reported discrimination/bad treatment of patients with service (AOR = 0.4, 95%CI: 0.2, 0.7), were significantly associated determinants of patient satisfaction.ConclusionsNon-communicable disease emergencies like injuries and cardiovascular diseases are common. There is a low level of patient satisfaction related to lack of confidence in the hospital for treatment, discrimination towards patient care, and under and delayed treatment of patients who were not in serious medical conditions. Hospitals shall prepare themselves to address the increasing challenge of non-communicable disease emergencies. It is important to revise the service delivery in the emergency department to improve staff courtesy and politeness, commitment, reduce discrimination and bad treatment and proper triage of emergencies at all points of care to increase patient satisfaction giving emphasis to earlier working days.
Highlights
Ethiopia has fairly good coverage but very low utilization of health care services
Public violence among men and domestic violence to women that are commonly seen in young people are important causes of emergency department visits [8]
This study assessed the disease profile, level of patient satisfaction and determinants of quality emergency care in a tertiary hospital in Northwest Ethiopia. Study design This was a hospital based cross-sectional study that assessed disease profile and quality of service among patients presenting to emergency department of Gondar University Referral Hospital (GURH)
Summary
Ethiopia has fairly good coverage but very low utilization of health care services. In Ethiopia and Gondar in particular, the quality of emergency medical care has not been studied. The main aim of this study was to assess the disease profile and patients’ satisfaction in Gondar University Referral Hospital (GURH). Ethiopia has good health coverage with about 89% physical access or reachability, but unacceptably low utilization at 29%. Cognizant of this fact, the Ethiopian Federal Ministry of Health has stated that universal access to emergency service will be provided to all citizens [1,2]. The low rates of utilization of care entail the absence of basic service capacity standards, affordability, weak referral systems and quality of services [1].
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