Hospital responsiveness and its effect on overall patient satisfaction

Abstract

Purpose Hospital responsiveness to the patient expectations of non-medical aspect of care can lead to patient satisfaction. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between the eight dimensions of responsiveness and overall patient satisfaction in public and private hospitals in Tehran, Iran. Design/methodology/approach This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2015. In all, 500 patients were selected by the convenient sampling method from two public and three private hospitals. All data were collected using a valid and reliable questionnaire consisted of 32 items to assess the responsiveness of hospitals across eight dimensions and four items to assess the level of overall patient satisfaction. Data analysis was performed using descriptive statistics and multivariate regression was performed by SPSS 18. Findings The mean score of hospital responsiveness and patient satisfaction was 3.48±0.69 and 3.54±0.97 out of 5, respectively. Based on the regression analysis, around 65 percent of the variance in overall satisfaction can be explained by dimensions of responsiveness. Seven independent variables had a positive impact on patient satisfaction; the quality of basic amenities and respect for human dignity were the most powerful factors influencing overall patient satisfaction. Originality/value Hospital responsiveness had a strong effect on overall patient satisfaction. Health care facilities should consider including efforts to responsiveness improvement in their strategic plans. It is recommended that patients should be involved in their treatment processes and have the right to choose their physician.