Abstract
In a patient satisfaction survey, it may be better for the hospital to investigate what issues are most related to an overall patient satisfaction level than only focus on the average degree of satisfaction. Targeting 134 outpatients and 165 inpatients and using stepwise multiple regression analysis we studied how the 8 questions in a patient satisfaction survey were related to the overall satisfaction level. Waiting time, consideration for privacy and attitudes by nurses towards outpatients, as well as attitudes by doctors, cleanliness of the room, comfort of the bed and for hospitalized patients taste of the hospital diet were listed in the descending order of coefficient of regression. This order was linked to the overall hospital satisfaction level. Comparing the outpatients' and inpatients' survey results, the outpatients' waiting time had the highest regression and the lowest satisfaction level, indicating the need of prompter responses towards outpatients on the issue of waiting time. We should have the consciousness that patient satisfaction level is closely related to the hospital's management. And patient satisfaction surveys, that can reveal problems at the hospital, are especially important.
