RESUMO
Objective To find out about patients needs, better deliver patient oriented care, and enhance patients satisfaction towards the service. Methods An investigation by questionnaire was made into 552 randomly selected outpatients with regard to the factors influencing patients selection of hospitals when seeking medical service and the needs of outpatients when waiting to see the doctors. Results Among the major factors influencing patients selection of hospitals when seeking medical service are the medical expertise of doctors and patients confidence in them. Spread of knowledge about health, constant notice to patients waiting of how things are going, introduction to specialists, and provision of signs indicating the service process are areas of service that patients waiting to see the doctors hope to get or see improved. Conclusion Enhancing the medical expertise and the overall quality of the medical staff, intensifying the awareness of quality service and standardizing medical behavior are among the major steps that hospitals can take to deliver patient oriented service.