Factors affecting the quality of care in cardiac outpatient departments: Patients’ perspective

Purpose: The study aim at exploring cardiac patients‟ perception of the factors affecting the quality of cardiac services delivered in Out Patient Department (OPD) in Jordanian hospitals. Methods: Semi-structured face to face interviews were conducted with 17 cardiac patients during their clinical appointment in two cardiac care centers in Amman, Jordan. A framework approach was used to analyze the qualitative data. Results: Participants identified several factors which could affect the quality of cardiac services provided in OPD: lacks of time for physicians to spend with their patients, inhibited physician-patient relationship which in turn limits the time available for physician care delivered to each patient; patients information was not adequately provided; organizational factors such as long waiting time and the intervals between the patient‟s visits. Conclusion: Several factors were identified by cardiac patients that may influence the quality of cardiac services provided by OPD. Healthcare professionals and decision maker should consider patients‟ views to improve the quality of cardiac care in OPD. Scientific Cooperations International Workshops on Medical Topics, Ankara-TURKEY, 7-8 June 2014