Patients’ Level of Satisfaction with the Health Care Services Received at Outpatient Departments in Kilimanjaro Region, Tanzania

Traditionally, quality of health care services has been measured by means of professional standards ignoring the importance of patient’s satisfaction. The level of patients’ satisfaction isimportant for improving the quality of care provided. Based on different studies, there is a high variation of patients’ level of satisfaction between countries and within country.

In developed countries, patients are highly satisfied (90-95%) with the basic services provided at outpatient departments (OPD, while in developing countries it has been shown that, the range of patients’ satisfaction vary between 95% to <50%. In Nigeria 84% are satisfied while in Ethiopia 77% are satisfied with the health services rendered at the OPD. In Tanzania, at Muhimbili National Hospital satisfaction level was found to be high (90%-95%) while in Morogoro (Kilosa District Hospital) satisfaction level was moderate (70%) but at Mwananyamala Referral Hospital, satisfaction level was found to be low (<50%).If patient’s level of satisfaction on quality of care does not meet their standards, patients may decide to seek treatment somewhere else out of the formal health system that may lead to poor health seeking behaviors resulting in poor initial uptake of services, poor adherence, poor retention of services and at the end this may contribute to high morbidity and mortality.(Read more)