Year: 2025 | Month: November | Volume: 15 | Issue: 11 | Pages: 78-89
DOI: https://doi.org/10.52403/ijhsr.20251111
Patient Satisfaction in the Outpatient Department at a Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital: A Cross-Sectional Study
Dr Dinesh Chandra Joshi1, Dr Ravinder Singh Saini2, Kirti Bhardwaj3
1Department of Hospital Administration, Himalayan Hospital, Himalayan Institute of Medical Sciences, Swami Rama Himalayan University, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India
2Department of Hospital Administration, Himalayan Institute of Medical Sciences, Swami Rama Himalayan University, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India
3Department of Hospital Administration, Himalayan Institute of Medical Sciences, Swami Rama Himalayan University, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India
Corresponding Author: Dr Dinesh Chandra Joshi
ABSTRACT
Introduction: The Outpatient Department (OPD) serves as the first point of contact between patients and healthcare institutions, playing a critical role in the overall healthcare delivery system. The efficiency, accessibility, and quality of services provided in the OPD significantly influence patients' perceptions. Enhancing satisfaction in OPD will foster trust and ensure the long-term success of healthcare institutions.
Material and Methods: This cross-sectional study of two months duration was conducted in the outpatient departments of a tertiary care hospital. The sample size for the study was 360. A structured, validated questionnaire (Cronbach's alpha score = 0.82) was used for the study. Patient satisfaction criteria, such as patient waiting time, staff behaviour, patient amenities, and experience with doctor consultation, were studied. Statistical analysis was conducted in Microsoft Excel and Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 22.0. Pearson coefficient of correlation (r-value) and p-value were calculated. The level of statistical significance was set at 5% (P < 0.05).
Results: The age distribution showed that 94(26.1%) were in the age group of 25-34 years, and 183 (51%) were males. The mean satisfaction score with waiting time in registration and to meet the doctor was 3.93 ± 0.86 SD and 3.87± 0.79 SD, respectively. The satisfaction level with waiting time was highest (78.1%) at the registration counter. Analysis of variance for doctor behaviour, communication skills, clarity of information, privacy given to patients, and treatment provided revealed a p-value of 0.002 (< 0.05). The overall patient satisfaction was 84.6%.
Conclusion: The findings of this study highlight good patient satisfaction with the OPD services, and indicate key areas of strength as well as aspects requiring improvement.
Key words: Behaviour, Outpatient, Patient Care, Satisfaction, Waiting