Patient Satisfaction and Associated Factors in Ultrasound Services at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Bharatpur, Chitwan, Nepal

Abstract

Background
In low-middle income countries like Nepal, where expensive imaging modalities such as CT or MRI are limited, ultrasound plays a crucial role in maternal health, emergency care, abdominal imaging, and guided therapeutic procedures. This study performed to find the patients' satisfaction in ultrasound services in a tertiary hospital in central Nepal.
Methods
A mixed method study was conducted over 1000 patients. Data was collected using structured questionnaire in five dimensions: promptness of service, waiting area ambience, communication, cost of the test, and service in general. The qualitative section explored what patients liked most, what challenges they faced, and what they suggested for improvements. Descriptive analysis, univariate and multivariate logistic regression were done to find the association. Thematic analysis was done for the qualitative sections of the questionnaire.
Results
The percentage of satisfied patients (49.7%) with (95%) CI as (46.56%0 to (52.85%). There was no association of patient satisfaction with education, sex, and residence. The odds of getting satisfied was 1.5 times higher for the people aged more than 60 years compared to those below 18 years of age. Patients were happy with the low cost. But they faced challenges with the staff behaviour and suggested improvements in doctors’ counselling, staff behaviour, waiting area cleanliness, privacy, and separate arrangements for emergency and ill patients.
Conclusions
Satisfaction level of the patient is not associated with the education of the patient or with the sex. Staff should have good behaviour.