REDUCE LONG WAITING TIME AT OUTPATIENT DEPARTEMENT IN ZIQUALLA PRIMARY HOSPITAL, NORTH EAST ETHIOPIA, 2019

Abstract

Abstract Introduction: Long waiting times is a major source of dissatisfaction for patients attending at public health facilities. The Ethiopian Minister of Health has identified as one of six priority areas for improvement and time is one of the quality dimensions. Howe ever it is still in delay to serve client in time. Objective: objective of the thesis is to reduce outpatient long waiting time in Ziqualla primary hospital, Northeast, Ethiopia, 2019. Method: Non- Experimental Pre-post interventional study design was applied, from January 2019 to May 2019. The actual data collection time for post intervention data was from May 03/ 2019. The total 333 sample sizes were selected for pre- intervention and the same sample size was taken in post-intervention using sample survey technique. Entire adult individual clients who were available in data collection time were included in the sample. The data where coded, entered and analysed using SPSS version 20 software. Independent T-test analysis was done and the result is presented by using tables, charts and graphs. Result: A total of 666 patients attended the study in pre and post, and from these 151( Conclusion: Our study has shown that the implementation of the intervention significantly reduced patient waiting time at the OPD. The intervention was expensive and effective. Long term follow up is needed to assess the sustainability of the intervention, and action research shale be encouraged to solve the community problem. Recommendation: based on the study, it is recommended that the hospital, should Monitor the implementation of intervention to ensure the Sustainability, RHB to give continuous training, FMOH should develop standards of patient waiting time and researcher should make study to know Other factors cause long waiting time and to assess the effect of specific strategy actions on long waiting time.