Surgical patient’s satisfaction with services at a tertiary hospital in south -south state of Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Healthcare managers now incorporate patient centered care as a major component in the healthcare mission using patients assessment of the services rendered. These surveys have become routine as part of total quality management in developed countries. Periodic patient satisfaction surveys provide feedback to hospital management and staff regarding the quality of services rendered. Aims and Objectives: Our objective therefore was to investigate patients assessment and satisfaction of services rendered in the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, Uyo, using the Surgery department as a case study. Study Design: cross-sectional. Setting: Surgical units and accident and emergency (A/E) unit of the University of Uyo teaching hospital. Materials and Methods: Structured questionnaires were administered on a of 130 surgical patients using systematic random sampling method, out of which 108 completed the questionnaire/interview and were included in the study. Results: Overall, 86.85% of the patients were satisfied with the services received from the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, while 18.9% were dissatisfied, the remaining 4.45% non respondents. In assessing the service units; 82.61%, 90.00%, 83.00%, 70.59%, 85.72%, 77.97%, 84.64% and 96.60% of the patients were satisfied with services rendered at accident and emergency unit, Pharmacy, laboratories, blood bank, surgical wards, surgical outpatient department (SOPD), medical records and theatre units of the hospital respectively. In provider relationship, 91.90%, 93.7%, 90.63%, 86.20%, 92.30% and 84.20% were satisfied with the conducts of Doctors, Nurses, Pharmacies, Medical Records, Medical Laboratory Scientist, and administrative staff respectively. Patients were generally satisfied with the ease of assessing care in the hospital. However, waiting time of more than one hour for services at the SOPD, A&E, Laboratories, Blood bank, medical records, and pharmacy were 41.7%, 22.72%, 31.03%, 21.05%, 16.67%, and 14.29% respectively. Also, 37.51% and 22.25% of the patients were dissatisfied with cleanliness of conveniences and charges in the hospital respectively. Some others (7.4 %) of respondents were not happy with electricity supply in the hospital. Conclusion: There is high patient satisfaction in the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, health workers need to be more responsive by reducing waiting time for consultation, improving electricity supply and keeping the conveniences more tidy and comfortable for patients. A more robust plan should be put in place to sustain and enhance patients care in this hospital.