Patient satisfaction and associated factors in plastic and hand reconstructive surgery at ALERT hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study using PSQ-18 and O-PAHC scales

OBJECTIVE: To assess patient satisfaction and identify associated factors in plastic and hand reconstructive surgery at ALERT Comprehensive Specialised Hospital in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. DESIGN: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted from February to March 2023 using a structured questionnaire that incorporated the Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire Short Form and the Outpatient Assessment of healthcare scales. Patient satisfaction was measured using a five-point Likert scale. Descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression were employed using Stata V.17. SETTING: ALERT Comprehensive Specialised Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 391 systematically selected adult patients attended the plastic and hand reconstructive surgery outpatient departments. OUTCOME MEASURES: Overall patient satisfaction and factors influencing satisfaction with surgical services. RESULTS: Of the 379 respondents (response rate 96.9%), 51.2% were male. The overall patient satisfaction rate was 75.7%. However, 78.6% experienced long waiting times (mean: 2 hours 15 min), 84.4% reported inadequate information provision, and 90.3% indicated that medical care was unaffordable. Significant factors associated with higher satisfaction included age 30-39 years (AOR=2.7; 95% CI 1.09 to 6.83), having laboratory tests ordered (AOR=2.03; 95% CI 1.03 to 4.03) and X-ray/ultrasound imaging (AOR=2.20; 95% CI 1.19 to 4.06). Patients who received care free of charge were less likely to be satisfied compared with those paying out of pocket (AOR=0.23; 95% CI 0.07 to 0.82). CONCLUSION: Although overall satisfaction was moderately high, significant dissatisfaction was reported regarding service accessibility, waiting times, communication and affordability. Targeted interventions in these areas are recommended to improve patient-centred care.