Predictors of Patient Satisfaction with the Health Care Services Provided in Oromia Regional State Public Hospitals, Ethiopia

Abstract

Background: Satisfaction is one of the meaningful indicators of patient experience of health care services. Asking patients what they think about the care and treatment they have received is an important step towards improving the quality of care, and to ensuring that local health services are meeting patients’ need. The aim of the is to assess factors affecting patient satisfaction among patients at public hospitals of Oromia regional state, Ethiopia. Methods and Materials: A facility based cross-sectional study of patient satisfaction conducted in six selected Oromia regional state public hospitals. Data were collected using semi structured questionnaire and focus group discussion from January 10-30, 2016. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 16.0. Both bivariate and multivariate methods of data analysis used to determine the association and predictors. Results: - Six hundred eleven (80%) of the respondents were satisfied with health care services delivered in hospitals with mean satisfaction score of 4.13. Female patients were 1.72 times more satisfied than male patients were. Respondents from district hospitals 2.26 times more satisfied compared to respondents from zonal hospital (95%CI: 1.213, 4.21) and respondents from district hospitals 5.6 times more satisfied when compared to respondents from referral hospitals (95%CI: 2.95, 10.64). Patients who had completed their service in less than  one hour  were 17.8  times more satisfied compared to those completed their service in more seven days.

Conclusion and recommendation:-This study showed that perceived empathy, non-verbal communication, time to complete service, cleanness of rooms and equipment, and level of hospital influenced patient satisfaction. Therefore, health care institutions should work towards improving the communication skill of their professionals and cleanness of rooms and equipments that can improve the satisfaction of patient on care provided in the hospitals.