Study on utilization of health care services at secondary level setting and satisfaction among out patients.

ABSTRACT

Background: Patient care is the primary function of a hospital. Hospital performance can be best assessed by measuring patient satisfaction. Patient satisfaction with the health care services largely determines their compliance with the treatment and thus contributes to the positive influence on health. Patient satisfaction is considered as one of the desired out comes of health care and is directly related with utilization of health. The objective of the study was to assess the level of satisfaction among out patients attending secondary level hospital and to assess the utilization of health care services. Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted among out patients (aged 18 – 85 years) attending Chidambaram Government Hospital, Tamilnadu, India. Systematic random sampling technique was used to select the respondents. A total of 152 outpatients were taken for the study purpose. A self designed, pretested, semi structured questionnaire was developed to draw the patient‟s satisfaction to the health care services. Results: 99.3% of the patients were highly satisfied with the cleanliness of the hospital.91.4% of the respondents were satisfied with the doctor‟s behavior. 62.5% of the out patient were neutral with drinking water facility. Overall satisfaction among the patients was a mean of 3.75 out of 5 (75%). Conclusions: Patients are generally satisfied with the hospital facilities. Patients inputs on various deficiencies should always be taken care by the hospital administration to improve its services to the patients satisfaction.