Jinghua Li1, Pingping Wang1, Xuan Kong1, Hailun Liang2, Xiumin Zhang1, Leiyu Shi2. 1. Department of Social Medicine and Health Care Management, School of Public Health, Jilin University, 1163 Xinmin Street, Changchun City, Jilin 130021, China. 2. Department of Health Policy and Management and the Johns Hopkins Primary Care Policy Center, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To assess patient satisfaction with outpatient and inpatient care between primary care providers and secondary/tertiary hospitals, and to examine its association with socio-demographic characteristics and type of institution, based on self-reported survey data. DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey. SETTING: Healthcare facilities within Jilin province, China. PARTICIPANTS: In total, 993 outpatients and 925 inpatients aged ≥15 years old were recruited. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Patient satisfaction with the care experience. RESULTS: Patient satisfaction with outpatient and inpatient care was significantly associated with type of healthcare delivery setting in Jilin, China. Seeking outpatient care from community health centers (CHCs) was significantly associated with a higher ratio of patient satisfaction. Patients of county and tertiary hospitals complained about long-waiting times, bad attitudes of health workers, high expense of treatment, and their overall satisfaction towards outpatient care was lower. In the terms of inpatient care, patients were more satisfied with treatment expense in CHCs compared with county hospitals. CONCLUSIONS: CHCs and hospitals face different challenges regarding patient satisfaction. Further healthcare reform in China need to adopt more measures (e.g. increasing quality of primary care, setting up a referral medical system etc.) to improve patient satisfaction.
OBJECTIVE: To assess patient satisfaction with outpatient and inpatient care between primary care providers and secondary/tertiary hospitals, and to examine its association with socio-demographic characteristics and type of institution, based on self-reported survey data. DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey. SETTING: Healthcare facilities within Jilin province, China. PARTICIPANTS: In total, 993 outpatients and 925 inpatients aged ≥15 years old were recruited. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Patient satisfaction with the care experience. RESULTS:Patient satisfaction with outpatient and inpatient care was significantly associated with type of healthcare delivery setting in Jilin, China. Seeking outpatient care from community health centers (CHCs) was significantly associated with a higher ratio of patient satisfaction. Patients of county and tertiary hospitals complained about long-waiting times, bad attitudes of health workers, high expense of treatment, and their overall satisfaction towards outpatient care was lower. In the terms of inpatient care, patients were more satisfied with treatment expense in CHCs compared with county hospitals. CONCLUSIONS: CHCs and hospitals face different challenges regarding patient satisfaction. Further healthcare reform in China need to adopt more measures (e.g. increasing quality of primary care, setting up a referral medical system etc.) to improve patient satisfaction.
Authors: Meng Su; Qiuli Zhang; Jiapeng Lu; Xi Li; Na Tian; Yun Wang; Winnie Yip; Kar Keung Cheng; George A Mensah; Ralph I Horwitz; Elias Mossialos; Harlan M Krumholz; Lixin Jiang Journal: BMJ Open Date: 2017-08-28 Impact factor: 2.692