https://imcjms.com Ibrahim Medical College Journal of Medical Science https://imcjms.com/registration/journal_full_text/122 Mon, 31 Oct 2016 11:33:24 +0000 Ibrahim Med. Coll. J. 2008; 2(2): 55-57 Key Words: Patients’ satisfaction, OPD services, socio-economic variables, DMCH Introduction Studies on patients’ satisfaction have been recognized as ways to identify priorities and problems of health care services. Patients’ satisfaction increases accessibility to health care, which enhance its efficient utilization.1 Attitude and behavior of providers, adequate drug supply, diagnostic and waiting room facilities influence patients’ satisfaction.2,3 Patient’s satisfaction of public health care services continues to remain low despite tangible progress made in the development of health services of Bangladesh.2 Survey on Health and Population Sector Program (1998-2003) showed that the rate of satisfied service users of public health facilities decreased from 66% in 2000 to 56% in 2003.4 Studies on patients’ satisfaction help policy makers to find out the pitfalls of health care delivery system and formulate strategies accordingly.6 Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) is a tertiary level public health care facility of the country and around 900 patients visit its OPD everyday.5 This study was designed to assess patients’ satisfaction regarding OPD services of DMCH. Materials and Methods This descriptive cross sectional study was conducted for a period of 6 months from November 2005 to April 2006 at three (Medicine, Surgery and Gynae & Obstetrics) outpatients Departments of Dhaka Medical College Hospital. 299 patients were selected by systematic random sample technique. The patients were interviewed face to face at the exit point after taking informed consent using a semi structured questionnaire. The level of patients’ satisfaction was graded on a four-point scale – excellent, good, fair and poor. Data was analysed with the help of SPSS software (version 13.0). Results Majority of the patients was male (54.85%) with mean age of 35.79±11.29 years, married (75.92%) with a family size of 5-7; (5.66 ±SD 1.98), of education level from illiterate to below SSC (71.91%) and from lower (46.44%, monthly income range: Tk 2000-5000) and lower middle (38.20%, monthly income range: Tk 5001-1000) income group. Majority of the patients visited OPD with medical (53.18%), followed by surgical (26.76%) and gynaecological (20.06%) problems. The main reasons for choosing DMCH were effective (32.78%), free (24.41) and/or low cost (18.73%) treatment. There was long waiting time (31.74 ±SD 3.74). However, majority (81.14%) of the patients expressed satisfaction (ranging from fair to good) with respect to adequacy of space, sitting arrangement and cleanliness of the waiting rooms, but were dissatisfied (75.31%) with respect to toilet facilities and supply of drinking water (Table-1). Majority (74.90%) of patients were satisfied (ranging from fair to good) with OPD staffs with respect to their availability and readiness to register and make appointment with doctors, but most (41.06%) were dissatisfied with respect to their willingness to listen with compassion and reassure the patients with their problems (Table-1). Table-1: Patients’ satisfaction regarding different aspects of waiting room and helpfulness of OPD staff Level of patients’ satisfaction Good % Poor % 3.01 40.46 Cleanliness 50.17 10.70 3.68 38.46 Adjacent toilet facilities 8.92 71.00 1.33 11.00 Different aspects of helpfulness of OPD staff     2.69 35.91 Readiness to register and make appointment with doctors 37.46 27.56 1.38 29.66 Willingness to help and reassure patients about their problem 24.21 43.86     1.  Rudzick AEF. Examining health equity through satisfaction and confidence of patients in primary health care in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. J Health Popul Nutr 2003; 21(3): 243 - 250. 3.  Rashid KM, Raman M, Haider S. Text Book of Community Medicine and Public Health. 4th Edition. RHM Publishers, Dhaka, 2004; 13. 5.  Statistical Record Book of Dhaka Medical College Hospital. Dhaka, 2005; 12-15. 7.  Hannan MA, Chowdhury MZ, Azad AK, Haque MM, Karim MR, Ahmed BN et al. Quality of services provided to the tuberculosis patient in a selected TB treatment center. JOPSOM 2000; 19(1): 18-20. 9.  Das AM, Shahidullah M et al. Patients’ perception of medical care at Dhaka Medical College Hospital. National Institute of Preventive and Social Medicine, Mohakhali, Dhaka, 1988; 46-67. 2026 Ibrahim Medical College. All rights reserved.