Patients’ satisfaction with laboratory services at Anti-Retroviral Therapy clinic of Felegehiwot Hospital, Bahirdar, North West Ethiopia

Abstract

Introduction: The level of patient satisfaction with laboratory services influences adherence and retention to health care services. Likewise, monitoring of satisfaction of patients with laboratory services helps to identify opportunities for service improvements. However, it is often unnoticed in research and practice, which occasionally subjected to scientific inquiry.

Objective: To assess the magnitude and factors influencing satisfaction of patients with services at Felegehiwot Hospital ART Clinic Laboratory, Bahirdar, North West Ethiopia.

Methods: Facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted on 422 HIV/AIDS patients who were recruited on a systematic random sampling technique from March to June 2017. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 20.00 statistical software. Independent variables with P-value ≤0.05 on multiple logistic regression were taken as statistically significant. 

Results: The overall satisfaction of patients on ART laboratory services was found to be 53.3 % (AOR 95% CI: 48.6–58.1). Patients who participated in the facility health education program were 2.18 times (AOR 95% CI: 1.24–3.84) to be more satisfied with ART laboratory services compared to those who did not participate. Besides, patients who frequently visited the ART laboratory were 5.2 times (AOR 95% CI: 1.96–13.81) to be more satisfied with laboratory services compared to those who did not. Furthermore, Patients who got sit benches at the laboratory waiting area were 2.22 times (AOR 95% CI: 1.42–3.46) to be more satisfied with laboratory services compared to those who did not. Besides, patients with lower levels of education were 2.43 times (AOR95% CI: 1.47–4.03) to be more satisfied with the ART laboratory services compared to patients who attained higher education. Moreover, non-government employed patients were 2.77 times (AOR 95% CI: 1.20–6.38) to be more satisfied with the laboratory services compared to government-employed patients.

Conclusion: Overall, the satisfaction level of study participants toward medical laboratory services was 53.3 %. Customer satisfaction, particularly patients` satisfaction is the cornerstone of the medical laboratory and it is one part of a quality indicator. Thus, it is very essential to improve the quality of services provided in hospital laboratories to fulfill the expectation of patients.