Influencing Factors of Outpatients’ Satisfaction in China a Cross-Sectional Study of 16 Public Tertiary Hospitals

Abstract

Purpose

This study aimed to analyze the status of patient satisfaction in outpatients of tertiary hospitals and the factors affecting patient satisfaction, in order to provide a scientific basis for improving patient satisfaction.

Methods

A total of 6480 surveys of outpatients were conducted by a cross-sectional study in 16 tertiary hospitals in the Zhejiang province of China. The main contents of the survey were the basic characteristics of patients. Statistical description, single-factor analysis and binary logistic regression analysis were used to screen influencing factors.

Results

Results of this study showed that the total satisfaction score of outpatients was 87.13±13.47, and higher scored factors in the survey factors were nursing level, the convenience of registration and convenience of appointment diagnosis and treatment. The factors with lower scores were treatment effect, environmental sanitation and comfort and other staffs’ attitudes. Hospital managers should pay attention to the improvement of treatment level, environmental sanitation and comfort and other staffs’ attitudes.

Conclusion

In the process of serving outpatients, doctors should pay more attention to patients who are male, 31–45 years old or over 60 years old, permanent residents, from public institutions, possessed postgraduate education, without medical insurance, and who visiting paediatrics and Chinese medicine hospitals.

Keywords:

• outpatient satisfaction
• tertiary hospitals
• patient
• influencing factor

Ethical Approval

The investigation content and plan of this study were approved by Zhejiang Provincial Health Commission.(No:201702) The approval date is: March 15, 2017.All 16 tertiary hospitals had been aware of the investigation content and had agreed to carry out the project. All interviewed patients had been informed about the purpose of the study and given their consent before the start of the investigation. This study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki.

Acknowledgments

The authors of this study thanked the Zhejiang Provincial Health Commission for their support, the 16 tertiary hospitals for their support, and all the investigators and interviewed patients.

Disclosure

The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.