Abstract

Background: Patient satisfaction in the outpatient department is characterized by a positive personal perception of the item or service received from the health institution. Despite patient satisfaction being the pillar for individual patient recovery from disease, there is a lack of information about it.

The purpose of this study was to figure out what factors affect patients’ level of satisfaction at private and public health facilities in, Southwest Ethiopia.

Methods: An institution-based comparative cross-sectional study was conducted from April 1 to May 15, 2021. This investigation was done on 348 study participants; from those 174 clients were from private institutions an institution-based comparative cross-sectional study and 174 clients were from public health institutions. A systematic random sampling method was used to select individual study participants. Key informant interview was conducted on eight health professionals who were selected by purposive sample technique. Ordinal logistic regression and the independent sample Mann-Whitney U test were used to analyze inferential data by using SPSS version 20 software.

Result: The result of this study revealed that being male β= -1.36 [p = 0,002, 95%CI (-2.23-to -0.50)], Tangibility β= 0.62 [p = 0, 003, 95%CI (0.077- 1.15)] assurance β= 1.34 at [p < 0, 001, 95%CI (0.62- 2.07)] and responsiveness β= 1.12 [p < 0, 001, 95%CI (0.52- 1.91)] were statistically significant effect on the level of satisfaction in a public health facility. While empathy β= 2.78 [p < 0.001, 95%CI (1.73- 3.8)] and tangibility β= 0.95 [p = 0, 013, 95%CI (0.201- 1.69)] were statistically significantly associated.

Conclusion: Patients at private health facilities had better levels of satisfaction than public health facilities. This study recommends that to improve patient satisfaction; health providers, zonal health office, regional health administration, and the minister of health should work collaboratively to improve satisfaction with the “right drug for the right patient” principle. In addition, governmental health facilities should work with other stakeholders to improve patient satisfaction levels.