Assessing patient satisfaction and identifying areas for improvement in gynecological care across various healthcare settings at a tertiary teaching hospital in Pakistan: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Objectives

Patient satisfaction is a key indicator of healthcare quality and essential for improving hospital services. This study aimed to assess patient satisfaction and to identify areas for improvement in gynecological care across inpatient, outpatient, and emergency settings.

Material and methods

We conducted a descriptive, cross-sectional study among 587 gynecological patients at a tertiary care teaching hospital in Karachi, Pakistan. We assessed multiple dimensions of patient care, such as doctor satisfaction, nursing care, housekeeping services, and value for money using simple random sampling. We used a standard questionnaire to gauge patient satisfaction with care and analyzed the data using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21. We considered a p-value of less than 95% to be statistically significant.

Results

The analysis revealed high satisfaction rates across all service areas. Doctor satisfaction scored the highest at 95.4% (95% CI: 0.929–0.978, p < 0.0001), followed by value for money at 90.4% (95% CI: 0.870–0.939, p < 0.0001). Housekeeping and nursing care were rated 86.2% (95% CI: 0.821–0.902, p < 0.0001) and 83.3% (95% CI: 0.790-0.877, p < 0.0001), respectively. The hospital achieved a 98.9% recommendation rate, with 54.3% rating their experience as “Excellent,” 36.9% as “Good,” 7.8% as “Average,” and only 1.1% as “Bad.”

Conclusions

This study highlights high patient satisfaction in gynecological services, reflected in strong recommendations and positive feedback. While physician care is well-rated, improvements in nursing and housekeeping through enhanced communication are needed. These findings support quality enhancement efforts, fostering a blame-free culture and setting a benchmark for similar institutions in Pakistan.