Improving Patient Satisfaction and Associated Factors at Outpatient Department in General Hospitals of Central Zone, Tigray, Northern Ethiopia, June 2018-August 2019: Pre- and Postinterventional Study

BACKGROUND: Typically, the idea of patient satisfaction is employed to evaluate quality. When patients enter hospitals, they have certain demands for treatment. However, patients may become dissatisfied if their requirements or expectations are not met. There is increasing agreement that evaluating hospital services should be based in part on patients' assessments of the quality of treatment they received overall. The aim of this study was to improve patient satisfaction at outpatient department. OBJECTIVE: To assess improving of patient satisfaction and associated factors at outpatient department in general hospitals of central zone, Northern Ethiopia, 2019. METHODS: Pre- and post-intervention study was conducted to assess the patient satisfaction at outpatient department in general hospitals of central zone, between June 2018 and April 2019 using systematic random sampling method. Two hundred seventy-five (275) participants were investigated in the preintervention and postintervention study. Data were entered to SPSS version 20. Binary logistic regression was done to test association of factors with the outcome variable with consideration of p value of less than 0.05. RESULT: In the preintervention period, the patient satisfaction was 54.2%; after providing intervention, the patient satisfaction was increased to 77% in postinterventional study. Respondents who paid for the medical service were 41% less likely satisfied than those who had gotten free services. Participants whose age of 18-27 years were 22% more likely satisfied than whose age were 58 and greater. CONCLUSION: The result in this study shows that the patient satisfaction is higher than other studies done in our country. Sex, age, and those who make payment were significantly associated with patient satisfaction. Despite the result, much things are left to be covered to increase satisfaction, so the concerned bodies, including the regional health bureau, woreda health office, and management committee and board, should mobilize the community and give training to the health professionals to make the environment smoother and more comfortable for patients.