Patient Satisfaction Towards Outdoor Medical and Surgical Services Provided in a Public Sector Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital of an Industrial City of Pakistan: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Background & Objectives: Patient satisfaction is a multidimensional concept that consists of client's 
perceived needs, their expectations and experience of a health care system. There is no data available on 
patient satisfaction with outdoor (OPD) medical and surgical health care services in public sector tertiary care 
hospital ofan industrial city of Punjab, Pakistan. This study aimed at measuring patients' satisfaction towards 
health care facilities provided in OPD of a public sector tertiary care level hospital of Sialkot
Methods: This descriptive, cross-sectional study was undertaken during the month of April-June, 2020 in the 
medical and surgical OPDs of Allama Iqbal Memorial teaching hospital, Sialkot. Overall, 180 adult patients visiting OPD were randomly selected and interviewed in-person in OPD settings using modified O-PAHC questionnaire.Analysis was based on descriptive characterization of participants estimating patients satisfaction score and assessing relationships of socio demographic factors in relation to summary satisfaction score using multiple linear regression techniques 
Results: Of 180 participants, 93 clients were from medical and 87 were from surgical OPD. Most ¢clients 
were aged 40 years or above, with females constituted 60% of sample. Two-third participants had no formal 
education. More than fifty percent clients were not satistied 
with OPD timings, waiting time for examination, 
cleanliness in toilets, and surgeons not listening their health issues attentively. Mean satisfaction score was 
59% + 6 (range: 41% -70%). No statistically significant difference was found for mean satisfaction score as 
regards to age, sex, education status, and frequency of visit. 
Conclusion: On average, 59% of the OPD Clients attending medical and surgical departments of this 
teaching hospital were satistied from its working. Hospital administration needs to devise strategy to reduce 
waiting time for consultation, extend OPD timings, with more efforts required to improve physical ambience. 
Key words: Patient's satisfaction, Out-patient Department (OPD), Health care system, health service 
delivery, O-PAHC questionnaire, Hospital, Healthcare