PATIENTS’ ASSESSMENT OF EFFICIENCY OF SERVICES AT A TEACHING HOSPITAL IN A DEVELOPING COUNTRY

Background: One of the factors that influence patients’satisfaction is efficiency of services rendered to patients. This study aims to determine patients’ assessment of services rendered at a University Teaching Hospital. Method: The study was a cross-sectional study carried out between July 2002 and September 2002 at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin – City, Edo – State, Nigeria. All patients (255) on admission were included in the study. Results: The average waiting time of patients was 2 hours 53 minutes (173 minutes) and the range was 2 minutes to 2 days. Two hundred and ten (84%) of the patients were satisfied with time spent with the doctor (consultation time). Services at the pharmacy were satisfactory to 140 (56.0%) patients while 73.2% were satisfied with services rendered at the laboratories. Eight –five percent and 76.8% of patients were satisfied with the X – ray and catering departments respectively. However, patients’ rating of the level of sanitation was poor (46%). Conclusion: Areas of need identified include, waiting time prior to consultation, sanitation of the hospital and pharmacy department. Although patients expressed a high level of satisfaction with the laboratories, X – ray and catering departments, there is a need to work towards achieving total satisfaction with all facilities.