Patient satisfaction in the emergency department: a case of Sina hospital in Tabriz

Objective:  Patient satisfaction is one of the most important indicators for measuring the quality of emergency services and health care. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the patients’ satisfaction in the emergency department (ED) of Sina hospital. Methods: This descriptive, cross-sectional study was performed during one month in Sina hospital in 2014. Data were collected by a questionnaire which its validity and reliability were confirmed in previous studies. The questionnaire consisted of 2 parts. Part 1 included the demographic characteristics and part 2 encompassed the scales of satisfactory. Data analysis was conducted by SPSS version 15. Results: Totally, 425 patients participated in this study. The mean age of patients was 41.6±17.6 years. The mean total score of patient satisfaction was 17.43±1.56. The maximum satisfaction was related to the knowledge of physicians and the minimum satisfaction was related to the remaining period in the ED. Additionally, there was a desirable satisfaction for nurses’ performances. In terms of satisfaction regarding the physical environment and the workflow of the ED, the results were moderate. There was a significant statistical difference regarding nurses and physicians behavior in the ED during different working shifts, vacation days, and workdays. Conclusion: Based on the results obtained, patients had good satisfaction for the received services in the ED. It is necessary to develop physical spaces and improve the workflow of patients in the ED.