AFFECTING SATISFACTION OF LABORATORY SERVICES BY CUSTOMER RELATED FACTORS- TERTIARY HOSPITAL BASED STUDY

Abstract: Introduction: The economic liberalization and privatization has made it possible to have the emergence of more and more private sector business organizations especially in medical sector leading to more competition in supply of health services. The customer satisfaction for the services rendered by the hospital is the yard stick to assess the quality of services which is the net effect of large number of factors related to the institution supplying the services and customer patients availing the services. The present paper focuses on customer patient related factors influencing their satisfaction level. Objectives: The present study is aimed to assess the satisfaction level of patients availing laboratory services rendered by the central Biochemistry lab in a tertiary medical college hospital and to associate the same with the customer based socio-economic factors contributing to their satisfaction. Methodology: The cross sectional survey method of research was used to collect the socio- demographic and customer satisfaction level of information visiting a tertiary hospital in southern Rajasthan. A five Likert scale was used to ascertain satisfaction level of patients at different points while availing the laboratory services. Mean scores, percentages, statistical test of significance and chi- square test were calculated using options available on Excel and on line options for different statistical tests Results: The mean score values of the level of satisfaction are statistically significant between male and female patients, youngster and elder patients as well as for patients within and outside Rajasthan. The Chi-square test revealed that factors such as sex, age, place of stay, educational level and referred department are significantly associated with level of satisfaction of laboratory services by the patients. Remarkably, the location of stay (rural vs urban), occupation, stages of visit were found to have no significant association with level of satisfaction of patients.