Author(s):
1. Ayesha Sarwat:
Department of Psychiatry, Dow Medical College; Dr. Ruth K. M. Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi, Dow University of Health Science, Karachi, Pakistan.
Abstract:
OBJECTIVE To assess satisfaction, factors, and effects of waiting time among patients visiting the medical outpatient department of a tertiary care hospital. STUDY DESIGN Cross-sectional and descriptive. PLACE AND DURATION OF THE STUDY Conducted in the medical outpatient department of Dr.Ruth K. M.Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi fromJuly2019 to December 2019. SUBJECTS AND METHODS Purposive and non-probability sampling technique was used which yielded a sample size of 402 patients. All patients18 years or above visiting the medical outpatient department were included as participants. The study tool used was an interviewer-administered, semi-structured questionnaire. It consists of the Concise Outpatient Department User Satisfaction scale and questions regarding factors and effects of waiting time. Analysis was done via SPSSVersion20. RESULTS In the Concise Outpatient Department User Satisfaction scale, physician’s professionalism scored maximum with a mean± SD score of 8.42 ± 2.04. Waiting time attained a minimum score with a mean ± SD of 4.40 ± 2.66. Effects found were patients leaving the outpatient department without checkups (p=0.018) and forced to seek private healthcare (p=0.031). Factors are increased patient load (91.6%) and reduced slip making counters (61.2%). CONCLUSION: Patients are dissatisfied with the waiting time. The most common factors of delayed waiting time are increased number of patients and reduced slip-making counters. Important effects are patients leaving the outpatient department without check-ups, forced to seek private healthcare, effects on quality of care, and frustration leading to scuffles.
Page(s):
25-29
DOI:
DOI not available
Published:
Journal: Journal of Pakistan Psychiatric Society, Volume: 18, Issue: 3, Year: 2021
Keywords:
Patient satisfaction
,
waiting time
,
Public
,
Outpatient department
,
Tertiary care hospital
References:
References are not available for this document.
Citations
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