Abstract:
Abstract
Background: Quality of healthcare is a consistent delighting of the patient through providing
efficacious, effective and efficient healthcare services as per clinical guidelines and standards for
meeting or exceeding patients’ expectations. The quality of healthcare services in public
healthcare institutions is currently questionable; however, only a few studies on the quality of
healthcare were available and customers complain were not adequately identified.
Objective: This study aims to assess the quality of healthcare services and associated factors at
adult medical outpatient department in Public Hospitals of Harari national regional state in Harar
Ethiopia.
Methods: A facility-based cross-sectional study design was conducted on patients at outpatient
medical department of Public Hospitals in Harari National Regional State in Eastern Ethiopia
from March to April 2021. Systematic sampling technique was used to get a total of 402 adult
medical outpatient clients/service users/. Quality of healthcare services at the outpatient
departments were measured using the service quality
Results: The overall weighted SERVQUAL score was 87%. The weighted SERVQUAL score
for tangibility, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, and empathy were also 11.60%, 23.80%,
19.80%, 9.60%, and 22.60%, respectively. Moreover, 81.3%
Conclusion: Quality of healthcare services in the hospitals was low compared with the national
standards. Waiting time, availability of laboratory services within the hospitals, ordering
ultrasound, advice on the dose, contraindication, and side effects of the drugs were significant
predictors for quality of outpatient healthcare service. Hospital administrations need to gather
continuous and periodic patient feedback and establish visible and transparent complaint
procedures which in turn are insight for quality improvement to be taken by the facility
managers.
Key Words: Outpatient; Health Service Quality; SERVQUAL; Harar, Public Hospitals, Ethiopia
