Patient-health care provider relationship during preoperative care in obstetric and gynecologic surgeries at Jimma Medical Center, Jimma, Ethiopia: patient’s perspective

BACKGROUND: The relationship between the health care provider and the patient is an indispensable element of medical care. The existence of a proper therapeutic relationship between the health care provider and the patient can increase patients’ trust and willingness to communicate, improve adherence to medical recommendations, enhance continuing care, and promote patient satisfaction. However, little is known in developing countries including Ethiopia what the patient health care provider relationship looks like. This study aimed to assess the health care provider-patient relationship during preoperative care in obstetric and gynecologic surgeries at Jimma Medical Center, Jimma, Ethiopia. METHODS: Institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted from April 1 to May 30, 2020, at Jimma Medical Center. A total of 372 surgical patients were selected using a systematic random sampling method. The collected data were coded, entered into Epi data version 3.1, and analyzed using the statistical package for social science (SPSS) version 25. Bivariate and multivariable regression was carried out to determine the association between the outcome variable and the independent variable. The strength of association of dependent and independent variables was presented by crude and adjusted odds ratio at a 95% confidence interval. Variables with a p value of < 0.05 were considered statistically significant. RESULTS: The proportion of good patient to health care provider relationship in this study was 179 (48%) and it had a significant association with patient marital status AOR = 0.29 (95% CI 0.147–0.580), consent form available AOR = 0.162 (95% CI 0.035–0.750), the profession of healthcare providers who request the consent AOR = 0.305 (95% CI 0.117–.794), mode of decision-making AOR = 0.165 (95% CI 0.039–.709), and patient’s satisfaction AOR = 5.34(95% CI 3.1–9.16). CONCLUSIONS: The proportion of patient-to healthcare providers’ relationship was low. More than half of the respondents did not have good patient–health care provider relationship. Hence, health care providers should be concerned about their relationship with their patients to increase the quality of medical care. The health care providers should bear in mind that patients may refuse to seek care from a provider whose relationship is not strong, even if the provider is skilled in preventing and managing complications.