Factors Affecting Patient Satisfaction among those Attending an ...

Volume 1 Issue 2 September 2010

Patient satisfaction survey Original Article

Factors Affecting Patient Satisfaction among those Attending an Outpatient Department of a Dental College in Tumkur City – A Survey Dr. Kashinath K R1** , Dr. Bharateesh J V2*, Dr. Chandan Agali3*, Dr. Mythri H

3*

, Dr. Darshana Bennadi

1

3*

, Dr. Mohan Kumar CT4*

Principal, Professor & Head, 2Professor & Head,

Prosthodontics,

3

Senior lecturer,

4

Tutor,

**

Dept of

*

Department of Public Health Dentistry, Sri Siddhartha Dental

College, Tumkur.

Abstract Background: Health care quality is a global issue. The health care industry is undergoing a rapid transformation to meet the ever-increasing needs and demands of its patient population. Hospitals are shifting from viewing patients as uneducated and with little health care choice, to recognizing that the educated consumer has many service demands and health care choices available. The closest most of measuring consumers’ experiences is the occasional satisfaction survey. Objective: To know the attitude of patients attending the OPD in various aspects. Methodology: A descriptive crosssectional survey was conducted among people attending the OPD and they were requested to fill the proformas which contained 15 questions to assess the areas which needs to be rectified. Results: 60% of respondents felt waiting period was more for treatments such as RCT, Crown and bridge etc and suggested to have signboards or directions. Conclusion: Overall patient satisfaction was good but based on the statistics; areas which had a void can be corrected by implementing the suggestions given by respondents. Key words: Satisfaction, Patients, Dental OPD. Journal of Dental Sciences & Research 1:2: Pages 1 - 10

1

Journal of Dental Sciences and Research


Patient satisfaction survey Consumers

Introduction:

need

to

be

better

The good health of nations is

informed about what is good and

a key to human development and

bad for their health, why not all of

economic

growth

is

their expectations can be met, and

important

to

health

that they have rights which all

and

it

analyze

systems’ performance and to share

providers

should

what we knew with governments

challenge

is

and the international community 1.

systems

The health care industry is

health

to

that

respect3. develop

equitably

outcomes,

The

health improve

respond

to

undergoing a rapid transformation

people’s legitimate demands and

to meet the ever-increasing needs

are financially fair. Recent research

and

indicates

demands

of

its

patient

that

the

way

health

population. Hospitals are shifting

systems are designed, managed

from

and

viewing

patients

as

financed

seriously

affects

uneducated and with little health

people’s lives and equitable health

care choice, to recognizing that the

outcomes are essential for global

educated

prosperity and the well-being of

consumer

has

many

service demands and health care available2.

choices

Within

societies4. Many

all

countries

are

systems there are many highly

developing initiatives to measure

skilled, dedicated people working

performance to guide and inform

at all levels to improve the health

the improvement process. Indeed,

of

measurement

their communities. To move

and

towards higher quality care, more

are

and

is

indicated by familiar phrases such

existing

as ‘evidence-based medicine’ and

better

information

commonly

required

provision,

on

the

on

interventions

increasingly

improvement

‘evidence-based

linked,

policy’5.

as

is

Equally

offered and on major constraints

important, if action is to be taken

on

to improve performance, it is the

2

service

implementation.



Patient satisfaction survey need to understand the roles and

of their services. This requires a

motivation of different actors and

marketing

available

each

which provides information that is

health system. “Performance” is

accurate, timely a need-based. For

defined as the extent to which the

this, a relevant tool for hospital

health system is meeting a set of

administrators today is a patient

key objectives. The key objectives

satisfaction survey, which reveals

for

the patient satisfaction levels with

instruments

the

health

suggested

system

are

being:

improving

the hospitals.9

outcomes

and

Although

as

health

in

information

the

system,

literature

consumers,

pertaining to patient satisfaction in

economic efficiency and equity of

the inpatient setting is extensive,

health (or access to care). The

there is a paucity of data on

success or failure of any initiative

patient satisfaction pertaining to

to improve health performance will

outpatient clinical services.

responsiveness

depend

on

to

the

political

and

Hence,

this

survey

was

institutional context in which it is

conducted to collect information

placed4.

regarding the attitudes of patients

Satisfaction is an important

attending OPD of Sree Siddhartha

element in the evaluation stage6.

Dental College, Tumkur.

Recent

Objective:

studies

increased

have

shown

association

satisfaction compliance

levels, and

success

an

between

To

patient’s

patients

of

the

treatment7, 8. With the healthcare market

turning

from

market

into

buyers

a

seller’s market,

know

the

attending

attitude the

OPD

of in

various aspects. Methodology: The present survey was a descriptive

study

done

over

a

healthcare providers are turning

period of three months, aimed to

more and more towards marketing

collect data regarding attitudes of

3



Patient satisfaction survey patients attending OPD of Sree

among which 221 were male and

Siddhartha

129 were females.

Dental

College,

Tumkur.

For the question when do

Prior

was

they visit a dentist, 85% answered

obtained from the incharge of the

when they are in need and 15%

hospital. Data was collected by

answered regular check up. 79%

using a closed ended questionnaire

said that they heared about SSDC

containing

The

through friends and relatives where

questions addressed specific areas

as 21% said they were motivated

like Ease of getting care, facilities

by advertisements in TV and camp.

offered at the hospital, attitude of

30% of the respondents said they

the staff at the hospital an overall

decided to take treatment in SSDC

status of the hospital.

because of concessional fees, 14%

OPD

permission

15

questions.

All the patients attending the

said for quality of treatment and

on

59% said for both.

voluntarily

those agree

days to

and

who

participate

For

the

hours

were included in the study. The

concerned,

questionnaires were handed over

don’t have any problem whereas

to the respondents and collected

12% said they do. 58% of the

back after they finished answering

respondents were satisfied even

it. Confidentiality of the identity of

though they are treated by the

a person was maintained.

students under supervision of a

Data collected was analyzed

88%

working answered

staff member but 53% said they

using SPSS software version 10

have

and percentages were calculated.

when they were being treated.

Results: Total

they

communication

problems

Regarding the waiting period number

of

patients

for getting treated in the college

participated in the study were 350

majority said it was more and in specific 60% said it was for RCT,

4



Patient satisfaction survey 58% for Crown/bridge, 56% said

college),

for Ortho and 49% said for fillings

important

respectively.

among

For

the

payment

78%

90%

felt

to

spread

people

diseases education.

problem and 81% felt the college

Discussion:

it

is

awareness

regarding

through

responded they didn’t have any

that

dental

oral

health

should have more sign boards and

The present study was done

personnel to assist to find the

to find the attitude among patient

respective department.

visiting the OPD of SSDC, Tumkur.

The

54%

respondents felt

The

inferences

would

help

to

that the staff or the students have

assess the factors which influence

shown a kind of apathy towards

satisfaction

them and only 31% said they will

patients, and thereby find solutions

refer others to the college. 83% of

to

them reported that they haven’t

facilities and thereby the quality of

come

care

across

any

instance

of

Persons/Doctors/Attenders/Guards demanding money and 78% felt

levels

improve

and

the

among

patient

satisfaction

the

care

levels

of

patients10. The

patients

often

are

that their should be a coin booth in

dissatisfied when their felt needs

the college.

are not fulfilled. Here, felt need is

66% of the respondents were

what the patient feels, wants and

satisfied

parking

thinks need to be done. Studies

facilities available and 68% with

have shown that expectations of

the

patients

not

with

power/water

the

supply/lack

of

are

based

on

their

environment,

social

materials as they were the reasons

experiences,

for delay in the treatment.

background and personality

Even though only 58% were

9, 11

. In

the present study 66% of the

aware of RHTC (Nagavalli) and

respondents

UHTC (Sri Siddartha Engineering

regarding parking facility and 60%

5


were

dissatisfied


Patient satisfaction survey regarding the waiting periods in

2.

various treatments. This was in

they

comparison with the studies by

appropriate explanations for the

Siddiqui N et al12 and Madan kumar

delay in the treatments.

et al9. Kline TJ et al and Tsai CYT

3.

et al in their study stated that

commented

enhancing patient facilities improve

instances

perceptions9.

Patients felt, many a time were

not

Some

of

given

the

that

when

any

patients

there they

or

were other

Hence

patients around them were sent

changes will have to be made in

back or recalled later because the

this area to fulfill the needs of the

doctor/house-surgeon/student

patients.

allotted to the patient were absent

overall

59% chose

of

the

college

respondents

for

treatment

for the day. Conclusion:

because of concessional fee and

This survey was conducted to

quality of treatment and 31% for

know the factors which influence

concessional comparison

fee. with

is

in

patient

study

by

suggest

This the

satisfaction ways

as

and

well

as

means

to

Madan kumar et al9 and Gurdal et

improve the same. Measures have

al10.

to be undertaken in order to fulfill

Suggestions

and

comments

the void by placing signboards, explaining

given by the patients:

the

treatment

the

procedure/or any delay to built a

uneducated and the elderly found it

good rapport with the patient. But

difficult to access the departments

only

to which they were referred. They

complaints

suggested some sign boards and

improvement. What is needed is an

volunteers

effective

1.

Patients,

situation.

in

would

particular

ease

the

targeting

accessibility

is

a

reduction

not

evaluation of

a

sign

of

in of

the

complaints

procedures and the introduction of 6



Patient satisfaction survey incentives, such as feedback and

in four OECD countries. OECD,

proof of real action, to encourage

2002, p. 87.

and support complaints.

6. Prasad MV. Factors influencing patient satisfaction: Its impacts

References:

on

1. Brundtland health

G.

H.

systems’

Hospital

Administration 1995; 33: 27-35.

performance.

7. Newsome PRH, Wright GH. A review o patient satisfaction: 1.

2. Howard J.E. Customer service: key

success.

Improving

OECD, 2001, p. 4.

The

hospital

to

remaining

competitive in managed care.

Concepts of

satisfaction. BDJ

1999;186:161 – 5. 8. Ntabaye MK, Scheutz F, Poulsen

Managed Care Quartely, vol. 8

S.

(2), 2000, p. 22-29

emergency oral healthcare in

3. The World Health Report 2000. Health

systems:

improving

performance. World

Health

Organization, 2000

Patient

satisfaction

with

rural Tanzania. CDOE 1998;26: 289-95. 9. P.D

Madan

Kumar,

Fathima

Zahra. Factors affecting patient

4. A. Blazevska, J. Vladickiene, S.

satisfaction

among

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out

patient

Xinxo. Patients’ satisfaction with

attending

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services

department in Chennai city -

provided by Ambulatory Care

India. JIAPHD 2008;12:15 – 19.

health

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-

care

Europhamili

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an

Gurudal P, Cankaya H et al.

Aesculapius professional study -

Factors

2004 - Lodz, Poland.

satisfaction/dissatisfaction in a

5. Zeynep

Or.

performance systems:

Improving of

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action. Review of

health measures

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dental faculty out patient clinic

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experiences

– 9. 11.

Collett

HA.

dentist-patient 7

patient


Influence

of

relationship on


Patient satisfaction survey attitudes

an

adjustment

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public,

private

and

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dental treatment. JADA 1969;

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Bangladeshi patients. J Health

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N and Khandaker

SA. Comparison of services of

8

Popul Nutr 2007; 25[2]: 221 – 30.



Patient satisfaction survey

Table 1: Percentage of respondents for various questions. Sl No

QUESTIONS

1

When do you visit a dentist?

2

From where did you hear about SSDC?

3

Why did you decide on taking treatment at SSDC?

4

Do you have any problems with the working hours of the college?

5

6

7

8

9

10 11

12

13

14

9

Have you any problems with the payment in the cash counter? Do you feel the college should have more sign boards and personnel to assist you to find the respective department? Have you ever felt that the staff or the students have shown any kind of apathy towards you? Would you refer your nearest kith & kin to visit this hospital for treatment? Have you ever come across any instance of Persons/Doctors/Attenders/Guards demanding money for anything? Do you feel that the college needs a telephone booth/coin booth? Do you feel the parking space available is ample? Have you ever come across that the treatment is delayed because of power or water problems or lack of materials etc…? Do you feel that it is important to spread awareness among people regarding dental diseases through oral health education? Are you aware of the RHTC (Nagavalli) and UHTC (Sri Siddartha

RESPONSES When in need – 85% Through friends/ relatives – 79% Concessional fees – 30%

Regular check up – 15% Through advertisements/ camps – 21% Quality of treatme nt – 14%

Both – 56%

Yes – 12%

No – 88%

Yes – 22%

No – 78%

Yes – 81%

No – 19%

Yes – 54%

No – 46%

Yes – 39%

No – 61%

Yes – 17%

No – 83%

Yes – 78%

No – 22%

Yes – 34%

No – 66%

Yes – 32%

No – 68%

Yes – 90%

No – 10%

Yes – 58%

No – 42%



Patient satisfaction survey Engineering college)?

Table 2: Percentage of respondents for increased waiting period for different treatments CD RPD Crown/Bridge RCT Extractions Cleaning of teeth Fillings Investigations Ortho NO

10

44% 21% 58% 60% 10% 18% 49% 9% 56% 12%

70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0%
