Clinical audit to improve patient satisfaction at COVID-19 treatment centre in Divisional Hospital Laggala-Sri Lanka

Abstract

Introduction: Patient satisfaction is the degree to which patients are happy with their healthcare, both inside and outside the healthcare facility. Numerous complaints had been received from patients along with mass media reports of patient dissatisfaction during their stays at COVID-19 treatment centre in Divisional Hospital Laggala [DHL]. Hence, this clinical audit helped to determine factors associated with patient satisfaction as well as to improve patient satisfaction to advance healthcare quality and patient safety. Objective: To improve patient satisfaction at COVID-19 treatment centre in DHL Methods: A hospital-based clinical audit was carried out from 3^rd September 2021 to 18th September 2021 involving all COVID-19 patients admitted to DH Laggala as the first sample and from 20^th December 2021 to 2^nd January 2022 (n=48) as the re-audit sample. A systematic random sampling method was carried out. An interviewer-administered questionnaire was used for data collection while Microsoft Excel and IBM SPSS Version 23 statistical software were used for data analysis. Results:  The patient satisfaction rate had improved (22%) from 45.0% to 67.0% by providing results to relevant healthcare authorities who made decisions and executed changes and interventions to improve the knowledge, attitudes, and skills of health staff in addition to the provision of needy infrastructure directed to improve patient satisfaction. Conclusions and Recommendations: Simple changes and proper interventions were very effective in quality and safety improvement. The overall patient satisfaction has been improved after a few interventions and changes at the COVID-19 treatment centre in DH Laggala. The healthcare providers should sustain the clinical audits which is an ongoing process to improve patient satisfaction as well as to augment Healthcare Quality and Patient Safety.