Patients’ Satisfaction With Clinical Laboratory Services In A Secondary Health Care Facility, Ondo West Local Government Area, Nigeria

ABSTRACT

Patients’ satisfaction with clinical laboratory services is essential as laboratory service plays a

key role in patient management. Under-utilisation which could be due to dissatisfaction of

clinical laboratory services can contribute to a worsened state of morbidity or mortality

among patients. Information on satisfaction with clinical laboratory services is essential for

policy and development of interventions to improve patient’s satisfaction. This study was

therefore conducted to assess patients’ satisfaction with the clinical laboratory services in a

secondary health care facility in Ondo West Local Government Area, Ondo State.

Using a cross-sectional study design, 426 patients utilising clinical laboratory services of the

General Hospital, Ondo were recruited, using a systematic sampling technique. Respondents’

information was collected using pre-tested, semi-structured, interviewer-administered

questionnaire. The questionnaire was used to obtain information on socio-demographic

characteristics and satisfaction with the domains of clinical laboratory services (accessibility,

hygiene of the environment, patient waiting time, patient-provider communication,

availability of requested tests, and availability of laboratory space, competence and attitude of

laboratory staff). Using the 50th percentile as cut-off, patients were classified as satisfied if

they scored 50th percentile and above, while those scoring less than the 50th percentile were

classified as dissatisfied. Chi-square test was used to determine the relationship between

independent variables (sex, marital status, educational level) and the level of patients’

satisfaction. Logistic regression was used to determine predictors of patients’ satisfaction

with the clinical laboratory services; level of significance was set at 5%.

Respondents’ mean age was 34.7+12.4 years. Most of the respondents were females (62.4%),

currently married (59.4%), Christians (87.1%), had secondary education (70.4%) and selfiv

employed (51.4%). Majority of the respondents were satisfied with the confidentiality

attached to the result of their tests (89.7%), the cost of the laboratory tests (67.6%),

competence of the laboratory staff (78.0%), patient waiting time (81.9%) and the

environmental hygiene of the laboratory (68.1%). Respondents also expressed satisfaction

with the availability of space in the laboratory (84.5%), the availability of required tests

(87.9%), patient-provider communication (77.2%), the respect and courtesy shown by

laboratory staff (82.6%) and accessibility of the laboratory (71.8%). Overall, 79.0% of the

patients were satisfied with clinical laboratory services. A significantly higher proportion of

respondents who were males (61.6%), not married (64.6%) and had tertiary education

(70.4%) were satisfied with the clinical laboratory services. Being male was found to be a

predictor of patients’ overall satisfaction with clinical laboratory services (OR: 2.1; 95% CI:

1.1-4.3). Other predictors were not married (OR: 2.6; 95% CI: 1.2-4.1) and having a tertiary

education (OR: 4.3, 95% CI: 2.1-6.5).

Patients’ satisfaction with clinical laboratory services in the secondary health care facility

was high. Subsidising the cost of laboratory tests, and improving the environmental hygiene

of the laboratory could further improve patients’ satisfaction.