Patient Satisfaction in Doctor Patient Communication in a Tertiary Care Hospital of Kathmandu: A Descriptive Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Introduction: Communication is an important aspect of the medical profession. Doctor-patient communication plays a significant role in health care delivery. This study aims to find outpatient department patient satisfaction in doctor-patient communication in a tertiary care hospital in Kathmandu, Nepal. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in the outpatient department of a tertiary care hospital in Kathmandu, Nepal in the month of August 2019. Validated questionnaire of Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire, consisting of 80 items, originally developed by Willis H. Ware and his colleagues were used and distributed to the patient in the outpatient department of the hospital. Their satisfaction level for doctor-patient communication was assessed on a five-point scale. The questionnaire was distributed randomly to the patient attending the hospital outpatient department during one month period. Results: Out of the total participants, 420 (96%) at 95% CI (95.07–96.93) respondents reported that they were satisfied regarding communication with their doctors. Among the patients, 109 (24.0%) visited the department of medicine followed by obstetrics and gynaecology 85 (19.4%). Conclusions: The majority of participants were found to be satisfied with the doctor-patient communication. While this study has shown that the communication in the doctor-patient relationship was seen to be satisfactory, this might not show the generalized picture of the country. We should also think of ways to further improve the communication in our hospitals.

A Cross-sectional Study on Patients' Perspective Towards Dermatology Outpatient Services from a Tertiary Care Center in Nepal

“…4 Both patient recovery and the standard of treatment were impacted by efficient communication in the medical field. 5 Specific areas of low satisfaction were recommended to be the focus of interventions, and the necessity of regular, varied facility-level surveys for a thorough understanding has been emphasized. 6 Other factors that have been identified as impacting satisfaction include the amount of time the patient spends with their physician, the care received from non-physician personnel, the physician's ability to provide explanations and demonstrate concern for the patient's health, and the physical comfort, emotional support, and respect for patient preferences provided during the consultation.…”

“…Few studies are available in the literature from Nepal where the authors assessed patient satisfaction with hospital services and recognized the challenges of skilled manpower, communication skills, and the need of surveys to better understand the patients' perspective and improve the quality of healthcare. [4][5][6] The present study is intended to understand the patients' perspectives regarding a typical dermatology OPD setup and to identify the areas for improvement in a tertiary center in Nepal. With this study, we intend to highlight the strong and weak factors that influence overall patient satisfaction.…”