Improving the quality of service individually

Oct 13, 2025 by wbrum.org 13 views

The Influence of the Quality of Health Services on Inpatient Satisfaction at the Medan City Health Center

Introduction

The Medan City Health Center has been operating as an inpatient health center since 2006, with 13 out of 39 Puskesmas developing into inpatient facilities. However, despite its long operation, the community's interest in utilizing inpatient services at the Puskesmas remains low. This can be seen from the number of inpatient visits in January - December 2008, which only reached 257 people, while the number of patients hospitalized in January - May 2009 totaled 74 people. The low interest of the community indicates that there are problems with the quality of services provided by the inpatient health center in Medan City.

The quality of health services is a crucial factor in determining patient satisfaction. Inpatient services, in particular, require a high level of quality to meet the needs of patients who are admitted for a longer period. The quality of health services can be measured in various aspects, including reliability, responsiveness, guarantees, and empathy. These aspects are essential in building trust and satisfaction among patients.

Research Purposes

This study aims to analyze the effect of the quality of health services on inpatient satisfaction at the Medan City Health Center. Through this understanding, it is hoped that solutions can be found to increase patient satisfaction and attract public interest in using inpatient facilities at the Puskesmas.

The research focuses on the following objectives:

To analyze the effect of the quality of health services on inpatient satisfaction at the Medan City Health Center.
To identify the most influential factor in increasing patient satisfaction.
To provide recommendations for improving the quality of health services and increasing patient satisfaction.

Research Methods

This study uses a survey method with the Explanatory type. The research population is all patients treated at the Medan City Inpatient Health Center from January to May 2009, totaling 74 people. The research sample is the entire population, so primary data is obtained through interviews using a questionnaire to all patients. Data were analyzed using multiple linear regression tests.

The questionnaire used in this study consists of two parts: demographic information and quality of health services. The demographic information includes age, sex, education level, and occupation. The quality of health services includes reliability, responsiveness, guarantees, and empathy.

Research Result

The results showed that the four sub-variables of the quality of health services, namely reliability, responsiveness, guarantees, and empathy, had a significant effect on the satisfaction of inpatients at the Medan City Health Center (P <0.05). Among the four sub-variables, empathy is the most influential factor for patient satisfaction, with a value of B of 3.966.

The results of this study indicate that empathy is a key factor in increasing the satisfaction of inpatients at the Medan City Health Center. Empathy in the context of health services means the ability of medical personnel to understand and respond to the needs of patients individually.

Analysis and Discussion

Some things that can be interpreted from the results of this study are:

*** The importance of a personal approach: ** Inpatients require more personal attention and treatment compared to outpatients. They need time to adapt to the new environment and may experience anxiety and discomfort. *** Effective communication: ** Effective communication between medical personnel and patients is the key in building empathy. Medical personnel need to show a sense of caring and empathy through body language, attitudes, and ways of communication that are friendly and easy to understand. *** Filling patient needs: ** Inpatient Health Center needs to provide services that meet the needs of patients holistically, ranging from physical to psychological aspects. This includes the availability of comfortable facilities, nutritious food, and complete information services. *** Attention to the patient's time: ** Inpatients may require a longer time to consult with medical personnel. Puskesmas need to arrange a flexible consultation schedule and provide sufficient time for patients to express their concerns and needs.

Recommendation

Based on the results of the study, here are some recommendations that can be applied by the Inpatient Health Center in Medan City:

*** Improving the quality of service individually: ** Puskesmas needs to pay special attention to each patient and adjust services to individual needs. ** Improving the empathy skills of medical personnel: ** Puskesmas need to provide training to medical personnel about the importance of empathy and how to hone effective communication skills. *** Providing patient-centered services: ** Puskesmas need to prioritize patient needs and comfort by providing adequate facilities, complete information services, and nutritious food. *** Providing sufficient time for consultation: ** Puskesmas need to set a flexible consultation schedule and provide sufficient time for patients to consult with medical personnel.

Conclusion

Improving the quality of health services, especially in terms of empathy, is very important in increasing the satisfaction of inpatients at the Medan City Health Center. By improving the quality of service individually and meeting patient needs, Puskesmas can build public trust and increase their interest in utilizing inpatient facilities at the Puskesmas.

The results of this study provide valuable insights into the importance of empathy in increasing patient satisfaction. The study highlights the need for Puskesmas to improve the quality of health services, particularly in terms of empathy, to meet the needs of patients. By implementing the recommendations provided in this study, Puskesmas can improve patient satisfaction and increase public interest in utilizing inpatient facilities.

Limitation

This study has some limitations that need to be addressed. The study only focuses on the Medan City Health Center and may not be generalizable to other health centers. Additionally, the study only uses a survey method and may not capture the full range of factors that influence patient satisfaction.

Future Research

Future research should focus on exploring the factors that influence patient satisfaction in other health centers. Additionally, research should be conducted to identify the most effective strategies for improving patient satisfaction and increasing public interest in utilizing inpatient facilities.

Conclusion

In conclusion, this study highlights the importance of empathy in increasing patient satisfaction at the Medan City Health Center. The study provides valuable insights into the need for Puskesmas to improve the quality of health services, particularly in terms of empathy, to meet the needs of patients. By implementing the recommendations provided in this study, Puskesmas can improve patient satisfaction and increase public interest in utilizing inpatient facilities.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about the Influence of the Quality of Health Services on Inpatient Satisfaction at the Medan City Health Center

Q: What is the main objective of this study?

A: The main objective of this study is to analyze the effect of the quality of health services on inpatient satisfaction at the Medan City Health Center.

Q: What are the four sub-variables of the quality of health services that were studied?

A: The four sub-variables of the quality of health services that were studied are:

Reliability: The ability of medical personnel to provide consistent and reliable care.
Responsiveness: The ability of medical personnel to respond promptly and effectively to patient needs.
Guarantees: The ability of medical personnel to provide clear and accurate information about patient care.
Empathy: The ability of medical personnel to understand and respond to patient needs in a caring and compassionate manner.

Q: Which of the four sub-variables had the most significant effect on patient satisfaction?

A: Empathy had the most significant effect on patient satisfaction, with a value of B of 3.966.

Q: What is the importance of empathy in patient care?

A: Empathy is essential in patient care because it allows medical personnel to understand and respond to patient needs in a caring and compassionate manner. This can lead to increased patient satisfaction and improved health outcomes.

Q: What are some strategies for improving patient satisfaction at the Medan City Health Center?

A: Some strategies for improving patient satisfaction at the Medan City Health Center include:

Improving the quality of service individually: Puskesmas needs to pay special attention to each patient and adjust services to individual needs.
Improving the empathy skills of medical personnel: Puskesmas need to provide training to medical personnel about the importance of empathy and how to hone effective communication skills.
Providing patient-centered services: Puskesmas need to prioritize patient needs and comfort by providing adequate facilities, complete information services, and nutritious food.
Providing sufficient time for consultation: Puskesmas need to set a flexible consultation schedule and provide sufficient time for patients to consult with medical personnel.

Q: What are the limitations of this study?

A: This study has some limitations that need to be addressed, including:

Limited sample size: The study only included 74 patients, which may not be representative of the larger population.
Limited scope: The study only focused on the Medan City Health Center and may not be generalizable to other health centers.
Survey method: The study only used a survey method, which may not capture the full range of factors that influence patient satisfaction.

Q: What are some future research directions?

A: Some future research directions include:

Exploring the factors that influence patient satisfaction in other health centers: Future research should focus on identifying the factors that influence patient satisfaction in other health centers.
Identifying the most effective strategies for improving patient satisfaction: Future research should focus on identifying the most effective strategies for improving patient satisfaction and increasing public interest in utilizing inpatient facilities.
Developing a comprehensive patient satisfaction model: Future research should focus on developing a comprehensive patient satisfaction model that takes into account multiple factors and variables.

Q: What are the implications of this study for healthcare providers?

A: The implications of this study for healthcare providers are:

The importance of empathy in patient care: Healthcare providers need to prioritize empathy in patient care to improve patient satisfaction and health outcomes.
The need for individualized care: Healthcare providers need to provide individualized care to meet the unique needs of each patient.
The importance of patient-centered services: Healthcare providers need to prioritize patient-centered services to improve patient satisfaction and health outcomes.

Q: What are the implications of this study for healthcare policymakers?

A: The implications of this study for healthcare policymakers are:

The need for policy changes: Healthcare policymakers need to make policy changes to prioritize patient-centered care and improve patient satisfaction.
The importance of funding for patient-centered services: Healthcare policymakers need to allocate funding for patient-centered services to improve patient satisfaction and health outcomes.
The need for education and training: Healthcare policymakers need to provide education and training for healthcare providers on the importance of empathy and patient-centered care.