Factors Affecting Patient Waiting Time in the Out Patient Department in Health Care Delivery in Mokwa

ABSTRACT

Patient waiting time is the time interval between when a patient presents him/herself for health care services and when he/she finally leaves the health facilities. This project work examined the causes of patient waiting time in the outpatient department at the General Hospital Mokwa. Using simple random of twenty one questionnaires to elicit information from health record officer, physician and patient attending consultative outpatient department. The results obtained indicated that truly there are some factors that serve as hindrances for the effectiveness of appointment system which constituted to the patient waiting unnecessary before they are seen by the consultant in the hospital. Such factors that were identified in the study include over booking of patient missing of case folder, lack of written policy to guide the operation of appointment system, defaulter, administration problems and lack of enough staff. In the conclusion, it was stated that if all the recommendations on chapter five can be adhere to, the problems of patient waiting will be minimized and the aims and objectives of the appointment system will be achieved i.e. reducing the patient’s waiting time.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITLE PAGE       ……………….…………………………………………………i 

DECLARATION ………………….…………….…………………………….......ii

CERTIFICATION ………………………………………………………………..iii

DEDICATION …………………………… ……..………………………………iv

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ………..…………………………..………………….v

ABSTRACT ………………………………………………………………………vi

TABLE OF CONTENTS …………………………………………….…………..vii

CHAPTER ONE

1.0     INTRODUCTION………………………………………………………….1

1.1     Background of the Study…………………………………………... ………1

1.2     Statement of the Problem …………………………………. ……………….4

1.3     The Scope of the Study ………...…………………………….. ……............4

1.4     Aims and Objectives of the Study…………………………....……...............5

1.5     Research Questions …………………………………………………………5

1.6     Significance of the Study ………..………………………………………….6

1.7Definition of Terms………………...…………... ……………….….. ……..6

CHAPTER TWO

2.0LITERATUREREVIEW ……………………………………………….8

2.1     Introduction …………………………………………………………………8

2.2     Theoretical Background of Waiting Time in Health Care…………...…….11

2.3     Description of the Out Patient Department (OPD) Patient Queuing Model

(Input and Output Process) …………………………………………...……12

2.4     Arrival…………………………………………………………………..…12

2.5     Waiting Line or Queue…………..………………….………………….….12

2.6     Queue Discipline…………….. ……………………………….. ……….....13

2.7     Departure……………………………………………………….. ………....13

2.8     Factors Associated with Waiting Time A Health Facility Patient Flow …..14

2.9     Ways to Reduce Patient Wait Times…… …………………………………15

CHAPTER THREE

3.1     Research Design/Technique ……………………………………….………18

3.2     Sample Technique……. ……………………………….…………………..18

3.3      InstrumentforData Collection Procedure………………………….….......18

3.4     Procedures forData Collection ……………………………………………19

3.5     Procedures for Data Analysis.. ..…………………………………………19

CHAPTER FOUR

4.1DATA PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS, INTERPRETATION ……….…………..21

4.2     Discussion of Findings ……………………………………………………33

CHAPTER FIVE

5.0SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS……………..35

5.1     Summary ………………….……………………………………... ……….35

5.2     Conclusion……………………….. ………………………… ……………35

5.3     Recommendations.. ………………………..……………………................36

REFERENCES ……………………………………………..……………...39

          APPENDIX… ……………………………………………………………..40