Analysis of the patient satisfaction forms about Emergency Department services at Akdeniz University Hospital

Objective: Maintaining patient satisfaction is a priority task for health care institutions. The purpose of this study was to detect potential causes of ED patient dissatisfaction by evaluating the "wish, complaint and suggestion" forms filled by the patients. Methods: As part of the study, "wish, complaint and suggestion" boxes placed in various locations in the hospital. Forms filled out by the patients or patient relatives during the 17 months study period were evaluated in order to find out service users' satisfaction levels. Results: During the study period, 89 completed forms were located in the boxes. Thirty one of the respondents (34.8%) were patients and 58 (65.2%) were patient relatives. The mean age of the respondents was 38.7 (1863) and 65 (73%) of them were male. Little over half of the respondents (51.7%) were university graduates. The complaints were approximately four times higher than wishes (68.5% versus 17.8%). Two of the most common complaints were long waiting times at the triage area (55 respondents, 61.7%) and the overcrowding of the ED (22 respondents, 24.7%). Conclusions: Long waiting times at the triage area markedly increase the degree of patient dissatisfaction. Managing the patient care area and staffing more ED personnel during the peak hours of the day may reduce some of the complaints on long waiting times.