Satisfaction with emergency care services among patients at Mulago National Referral Hospital

Abstract

Background:Worldwide, ill and injured people die daily due to lack effective, timely prehospital and emergency care. Evidence shows that patient satisfaction is closely related to effective provision of emergency medical services. In Uganda, the level of patient satisfaction with pre-hospital care is low. This study therefore aimed at determining the level of satisfaction with emergency care services among patients at Mulago national referral hospital. Methodology: This was a cross sectional study that employed quantitative data collection methods. Data was collected from 286 patients from Mulago ED, aged 18-60 years, between January and February 2020 using a semi-structured questionnaire. Descriptive analysis of data was performed using SPSS version 23, which yielded frequencies and percentages at univariate level. Further analysis was done using the logistic regression model which generated crude and adjusted odds ratios at 95% confidence interval. Results were presented in form of tables, graphs and pie-charts. Result: 56.3%of theparticipants were satisfied with the quality of care received at Mulago hospital, and waiting time before seeing the doctor was the only significant factor, whereby 92.3% of the patients who spent less than 15 minutes before seeing the doctor were satisfied as compared to the 54.6% who spent more than 15 minutes. Concerning other areas on the BEPSS tool, the sections that had low satisfaction were the EDE and GPS with 55.95% and 56.3% participants satisfied respectively. The subsection that showed lowest level of satisfaction was the availability of emergency equipment and the emergency department hygiene (32.9% satisfaction). However, the sections that received the highest level of satisfaction were the DCS and the PFS with 77.6% and 79.4% respectively. Conclusion:Patient satisfaction with the quality of emergency medical services at Mulago emergency unit was moderate. The main factor that was found to determine patient satisfaction with the quality of emergency care was the waiting time before seeing the doctor. Recommendation:The hospital administrators should increase the number of doctors available and also should provide training to the health team on communication so that patients are made comfortable during their waiting time.Ministry of health and hospital administrators should lobby more funds and have more equipment available and accessible to all patients getting emergency medical services from Mulago causality unit.