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1. Background CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION Bhutan, a small land locked country in the Himalayas pursues a lofty philosophy of Gross National Happiness (GNH) as the overarching developmental philosophy (Vision 2020, 2000). This is contrary to the conventional Gross National Product (GNP) or Gross Domestic Product (GDP) that most countries follow for development and achieving economic goals. This philosophy emphasizes the wholesome development of Bhutanese society taking into considerations economic, social, psychological and even spiritual dimensions of development. The strategies engaged towards fulfillment of this utopian goal of GNH are economic development, environmental preservation, cultural promotion and good governance (Gross National Happiness, 1999, The Center for Bhutan Studies). This is again not to undermine economic gains, which are equally important for Bhutan whose GDP stands at about US $500 per person. Through this concept, the Royal Government of Bhutan (RGOB) strives to provide basic essential services in the social sectors like health and education freely to all Bhutanese citizens. Health care services in Bhutan are still in a fledgling stage. An independent Ministry of Health (MOH) was constituted on 26 th June 2003. Before that it was the Ministry of Health and Education. Primary Health Care (PHC) is the strategy for health care
FACTORS INFLUENCING PATIENT SATISFACTION IN A FREE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM IN THE NATIONAL REFERRAL HOSPITAL (NRH), THIMPHU, BHUTAN Tapas Gurung A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Public Health in Health Systems Development College of Public Health Chulalongkorn University Academic Year 2003 ISBN-974-9599-38-1 Copyright of Chulalongkorn University Thesis Title : Factors Influencing Patient Satisfaction in a Free Health Care System in The National Referral Hospital (NRH), Thimphu, Bhutan By : Tapas Gurung Program : Health Systems Development Thesis Advisor : Robert Sedgwick Chapman, M.D., M.P.H Accepted by the College of Public Health, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok Thailand in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Master's Degree …………………………… Acting Dean of the College of Public Health (Associate Professor Prida Tasanapradit, M.D.) THESIS COMMITTEE ………………………………………………………… Chairman (Associate Ong-arj Viputsiri, M.D., Dr.P.H.) ………………………………………………… ……… Thesis Advisor (Robert Sedgwick Chapman, M.D., M.P.H.) ………………………………………… ……………… Member (Associate Professor Buddhagarn Rutchatorn, Ph.D.) ………………………………………… ……………… Member (Professor Edgar J Love, M.D., Ph.D.) iii PH: 032393 : MAJOR HEALTH SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT KEY WORDS : INPATIENT SATISFACTION / DOMAINS OF CARE / ALL WARDS / THE NRH TAPAS GURUNG: FACTORS INFLUENCING PATIENT SATISFACTION IN A FREE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM IN THE NATIONAL REFERRAL HOSPITAL, THIMPHU, BHUTAN THESIS ADVISOR: ROBERT SEDGWICK CHAPMAN, M.D., M.P.H., 130 pp ISBN 974-9599-38-1 Apparent rise in patient dissatisfaction at The National Referral Hospital at Thimphu, Bhutan, warranted a study to find out levels and factors for dissatisfaction A cross sectional hospital-based study was conducted involving 180 inpatients from all wards and cabins in January-February 2004 An interviewer administered questionnaire survey on patients, key informants were interviewed and a short questionnaire survey of physicians were conducted Mostly young, both genders represented equally, 61.1% of study population was illiterate 66.1% was poor with a monthly income below Ngultrum 5000 (about US$110), 35% were farmers and though a referral hospital, 56% patients were self-admitted patients mainly for acute conditions (58.3%) Overall, there were 91.7% satisfied and 8.3% dissatisfied patients Among wards, the cabin had the highest overall satisfaction at 66.7%, followed by EENT, surgical and maternity at 64.7%, 62.1% and 60.0% respectively Wardwise differences were statistically significant (p=0.029) Age, ethnicity and duration of hospital stay had statistically significant association with accessibility (p=0.003, 0.041 and 0.014 respectively); referral status and admission history with comfort in ward (p=0.026 and 0.021 respectively) Gender, referral status and admission history had significant associations with waiting time (p=0.047, 0.009 and 0.007 respectively) Nurses’ competence and ethnicity had significant associations with disease status and doctor patient relationship (p=0.046 and 0.045 respectively) Provider-related domains were more important for patient satisfaction than were hospital milieu-related domains (p