Perception of Patients towards Outpatient Service of Gynecology Department in Private and Public Hospitals in Kathmandu, Nepal

Abstract

Background: Patient satisfaction is an essential indicator of healthcare quality, significantly impacting patient outcomes.

Objective:  This study aimed to evaluate patient perceptions and satisfaction with gynecology services at a private and a government hospital in Kathmandu, Nepal.

Design: A descriptive, cross-sectional research design was employed, involving 330 patients (165 from each hospital) who were selected using purposive and non-probability convenience sampling.

Setting: The study was conducted in one private and one public tertiary level hospital. Data were collected using the patient satisfaction questionnaire (PSQ-18) on a five-point Likert scale and analyzed with SPSS. Scores from each of the seven domains of the PSQ were identified and summed to calculate mean and standard deviation. To compare the satisfaction levels between two hospitals, the Mann-Whitney U-test was applied and Bonferroni correction was used to reduce the Type I error due to multiple comparisons. 

Results: Our study revealed that, 42.53% of female attending the gynecology OPD were satisfied in public hospitals and 47.85% from private hospital. Public hospitals scored better in terms of financial aspects, indicating a lower financial burden for patients. Overall, patients visiting private hospitals expressed greater satisfaction with the services provided.

Conclusion: Satisfaction was found to better in the private hospital. These results suggest that improving the quality of care in government hospitals, particularly in communication and interpersonal interactions, while maintaining affordability, could enhance overall patient satisfaction.