Literature Review: Waiting Time and Patient Satisfaction Relationship

Abstract

The patient waiting period in an outpatient facility may affect the satisfaction of patients and relies on other characteristics of the visit. This study examines how patient satisfaction is related to the period of waiting for medical attention in a healthcare facility. The study was undertaken in specialized clinics including family medicine. Data was collected by distributing structured questionnaires to patients in the outpatient clinics which included social demographics and patient satisfaction scores. Half of the total patients that participated in the study confirmed their satisfaction with waiting time. Comparably, the clinic of family medicine recorded better scores in waiting periods than other clinics. Besides, it was confirmed that patients treated in family medicine clinics recorded the highest scores in patient satisfaction. Although overall patient satisfaction was lower compared to previous pieces of literature, the study confirms that a reduced waiting period results in increased patient satisfaction and a greater likelihood of patients returning to the health facility.