A SURVEY OF PATIENTS’ SATISFACTION WITH RADIOLOGICAL SERVICES IN ENUGU METROPOLIS, EASTERN NIGERIA

The knowledge of patients to the services they should receive during radiological examinations is uncertain. The study is  aimed to assess the level of awareness/ knowledge possessed by patients in relation to the radiological services they should received, assess patients’ perceptions towards the booking and appointment system in the department, assess and know whether the attitude of staff (both at the reception and in the diagnostic room) in the department affects the level of patients of patients’ satisfaction and also to compare the differences in the level of patients’ satisfaction between private and government hospitals. This research was  carried out in both government (UNTH and ESUTH) and private hospitals (Hansa Clinics and Life Chart diagnostic centre). A sample of 228 patients in the various above mentioned hospitals in Enugu metropolis were selected by simple random sampling method. Data collection was carried out through the use of a 27 questions questionnaire. The results revealed that patients state of awareness about radiological services has a mean value of 4.0, 3.3, and 3.1 for the respective statement under it.  The booking/appointment system has a mean value of the mean value of 3.5, 3.9, and 3.1 and the attitude of staff in the department influences the level of patient satisfaction has a mean value of the mean value of 4.1, 4.0, 4.3, 3.8, 4.3 and 4.3 for the respective statements. This study concluded that level of patients’ awareness towards radiological services, patients’ satisfaction with the booking system and waiting time; and patients’ satisfaction with the attitude of staff in the department, are factors that determine their level of satisfaction. Also the level of satisfaction is higher in the private owned radiological department than in government radiology department.

Title Page i

Approval Page ii

Certification iii   

Dedication iv   

Acknowledgement v 

Abstract vi

Table of Contents vii

List of tables x

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

1.0 Background of Study 1

1.1 Statement of the Problem 3

1.2 Objective of the Study 3

1.2.1 General objective of study 3

1.2.2 Specific objectives of study 4

1.3 Significance of the Study 4

1.4 Scope of the Study 4

1.5 Operational Definition of terms 5

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Related Literatures 6

2.2 Theoretical Background 14

CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3.1 Research Design 22

3.2 Target  Population 22

3.3 Sample Size and Sampling Technique 22

3.4 Tool and Method for Data Collection 23

3.5 Method of Data Analysis 24

CHAPTER FOUR: RESULTS

4.1 Data presentation 26

CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

5.1 Discussion of the Findings 39

5.1.1 Objective 1 (Level of patients’ awareness towards radiological services) 39

5.1.2 Objective 2 (Patients’ satisfaction with the booking system and waiting time) 40                                                        

5.1.3 Objective 3 (Patients’ satisfaction with attitude of staff) 40

5.1.4 Objective 4 (comparison between patients’ level of satisfaction in private owned radiological department and government radiology department 41                   

5.2 Summary of findings 42

5.3 Conclusion 43

5.4 Recommendations 43

5.5 Areas of Further Research 43

5.6 Limitations of the Study 44

References 45

Appendix 1 48

Table 1: General  and demographic studies

Table 2: The mean scores on the level of patients’ awareness towards radiological    services in private hospitals 

Table 3: The mean scores on patients’ satisfaction with the booking system and waiting time in private hospitals 

Table 4: The mean scores on patients’ satisfaction with attitude of staff in private hospitals

Table 5: The mean scores on the level of patients’ awareness towards radiological services in government  hospitals 

Table 6: The mean scores on patients’ satisfaction with the booking system and  waiting time in government hospitals.

Table 7: The mean scores on patients’ satisfaction with attitude of staff in government hospitals

Table 8: General analysis of the mean scores on the level of patients’ awareness towards radiological services

Table 9: General analysis of the mean scores on patients’ satisfaction with the booking system and waiting time.

Table 10: General analysis of the mean scores on patients’ satisfaction with attitude of staff

Table 11: Comparison of the level of patients’ awareness towards radiological services in the government and private hospitals

Table 12: Comparison of patients’ satisfaction with the booking system and waiting time in the government and private hospitals..

Table 13: Comparison of patients’ satisfaction with the patients’ satisfaction with attitude of staff in the government and private hospitals.

Patient’s satisfaction can be defined as how patients value and regard their care1. Patient satisfaction is the extent to which the patients feel that their needs and expectations are being met by the service provided2.  Patient satisfaction is a process as much as an attitude, and so it must be planned, monitored continually, and measured frequently. Patient satisfaction has emerged as an important component of the quality of medical care3. Patient satisfaction has to do with the pleasant feeling which the patients obtains after leaving the health care centre. Patient satisfaction is not just about interaction with the physician. The experience the patient has when making an appointment, being greeted at the front desk, working with staff on billing issues and any other instance of patient-practice interaction can affect overall satisfaction. Patient satisfaction is a measurement designed to obtain reports or ratings from patients about services received from an organization.

Many times, the financial problems that exist are used as an excuse for poor patient satisfaction. This excuse can never justify treating a patient rudely or with disrespect. Patients are the essence of why we exist in the hospital. The increasing scrutiny over the care they receive and the services we provide will significantly impact the future of healthcare. Healthcare employees which include the radiographers need to focus on teamwork and respect for patients as well as co-workers as foundations for improving patient satisfaction4.

Radiology uses X-ray, ultrasound and other modalities to provide images to help diagnose and monitor patients’ conditions. Radiological services are services which are rendered to a patient visiting the radiology department. The services can be either routine services i.e. those carried out on a day to day basis or some special examinations that are carried out on special cases that most times require the use of contrast agents. These radiological procedures include: Routine radiological examinations or General X-rays, Computed Tomography (CT) Scan, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Scan, Mammography, Fluoroscopy (contrast examinations like Intravenous urography, hysterosalpingography etc), Ultrasound and Radiotherapy.

Radiological services are essential to the care of patients and are central to delivering fast and reliable diagnosis. To the patients, however, radiologic services may seem somewhat inconvenient, mysterious, frightening or may even be a painful intrusion of their privacy. 

Patients satisfaction with radiological services is majorly dependent on the radiographer because the patient has more contact with the person carrying out the examination. As a radiographer, professionalism has a lot to play in the area of providing maximum patient satisfaction. The code of ethics serves as a guide for the radiographer to be able to exhibit good professional skills before the patient. A humanistic approach to the routine practice of radiology will be advocated.5

Patient satisfaction is as important as other clinical health measures and is a primary means of measuring the effectiveness of health care delivery. Patient satisfaction surveys can be tools for learning; they can give proportion to problem areas and a reference point for making management decisions. Probably the most important reason to conduct patient satisfaction surveys is that they provide the ability to identify and resolve potential problems before they become serious. They can also be used to assess and measure specific initiatives or changes in service delivery. They can identify those operations and procedures that require better explanation to patients. And most importantly, they can increase patient loyalty by demonstrating you care about their perceptions and are looking for ways to improve 6. Also, patient satisfaction survey can serve as a means of helping the entire staff( from the reception desk to the examination room) to discover their lapse in service delivery and correct it.

This study is to enable the radiology department know how satisfied patients are with the services they receive in the department. It will help to discover the lapse that needs to be improved on and how to serve the patients better. It will also help the hospital know tips on how to improve patients’ satisfaction.