Improving patient satisfaction in Emergency Department of Gondar University Referral Hospital, Gondar, North- west Ethiopia

Abstract

Abstract Introduction: Emergency medical care services require fast, correct and curious services to clients as they present with acute problems. Quality of emergency care services is vital for patient satisfaction which is measured from patients. Studies regarding patient satisfaction of emergency medical care in Ethiopia was not well studied.. Some literatures show that emergency department of Gondar University referral Hospital has low patient satisfaction compared to other African countries like Nigeria. Objective: This study was aimed to improve patient satisfaction among patients in the Emergency Department of University of Gondar Referral Hospital from 63.25 % to 70% by the end of November 30/2016. Methods: Pre-post interventional study conducted at GURH Emergency department from March 1/2016 to November 30/2016 and 150 patients interviewed before and after the intervention. Each of them was selected by systematic sampling technique Results: There was significant improvement in patients’ overall satisfaction (63.25% to76.75%) There were statistically significant correlations between the intervention and patient overall satisfaction. Independent t- test were used to assess the association of the intervention and patient satisfaction. Main activities of the intervention was re innovation of the emergency department, control of movement policy, purchased additional equipments

Conclusion and Recommendations: Significant improvement was achieved with intervention on patient’s satisfaction in Emergency Department. We concluded that these improvements were the result of interventions, re-innovation of the treatment area, control movement, additional purchased examination equipments, and increasing number of staffs and we recommend that hospitals have to be doing hardly on availability of drugs