Patients' Satisfaction in Hospitals of Iran: A systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Abstract Background and Objectives: Patients' satisfaction is one of the important indicators for measuring healthcare quality in hospitals. The present study was performed aiming at determining the level of patients' satisfaction in hospitals of Iran.   Methods: This study was conducted using systematic review and meta-analysis methods. All published articles on assessment of patients' satisfaction in hospitals of Iran in seven databases were searched, collected, and qualitatively evaluated by November 2018. Finally, 52 articles were were analyzed by statistical tests Cochran, Egger, and Forest plot using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis software.   Results: In this study, overall rate of patients' satisfaction (year 2018), was obtained to be 14.1% (95% CI: 11.6%-17.2%). The highest level of patients' satisfaction, was recorded in educational hospitals of Tehran in 2009, was 65.1% (95% Cl: 56.2%-73.1%) and the lowest patients' satisfaction, was found in educational hospitals of Ahvaz (year 2015), 0.2% (95% Cl: 0%-6.2%). A significant statistical correlation was observed between year of assessment, sample size, and patients' satisfaction (p<0.05).   Conclusion: The results of this study indicated that the rate of patients' satisfaction in hospitals was below the average; thus, Health policy makers and managers should take serious measures to increase patients' satisfaction in hospitals.   Keywords: Patient satisfaction; Patients; Hospitals.