The determinants of patient waiting time in the general outpatient department of Debre Markos and Felege Hiwot hospitals in Amhara regional state, North West, Ethiopia

Background Patient waiting time is defined as the total time from registration until consultation with a doctor. Experiences of waiting in general are perceived as complex, subjective, and culturally influenced. Registration time, payment process/cash billing, recording classification/triaged time, few human resources and work process are the determinants of patient waiting time in the general outpatient departments. However, the complexity of wait time is poorly understood and has been explored only to a limited extent. The main objective of this study to assess patient waiting time and its determinants in Debre Markos and Felge Hiwot Referral hospitals of Amhara Regional State in North West, Ethiopia. Methods A hospital based comparative cross sectional study design was employed from October 20‐ November 20, 2014. The study population was patients presenting to general outpatient departments, from which 464 patients was selected using systematic random sampling technique. Quantitative Data was collected using structured questionnaire and A check list adopted from studies. Quantitative data was coded, entered, cleaned and analyzed using SPSS Software for windows version 20.0. Linear regression and bivariate logistic regression was applied to identify the determinants of each explanatory variable on outcome (patient waiting time). Finally data was interpreted by referring to the pertinent findings from the relevant literature reviewed. Ethical approval and clearance was obtained from ethical clearance committee of the Jimma University College of Public Health & Medical Sciences Result The measured waiting time in Felge Hiwot referral hospital mean waiting time was and its standard deviation 149.2±72.1 minutes whereas 94.2±58.3 minutes in debere markos referral hospital. The major causes of the long patient waiting time was large numbers of patient with a few doctors 94(40.5%),67(28.9%) ,long searching of the cards 67(28.9%),73(31.5),and long registration time 59(25.4%),76(32.5) in Feleg hiwot and debre markos referral hospitals respectively. the satisfaction status in waiting time greater than 60 minutes in Felege hiwot referral hospital were statically significance with p value 0.0001(95% CI:1.7786,1.8766) with dissatisfaction whereas p= 0.0001 (95% CI;1.7690,1.8689) in debre markos referral hospital. Conclusion There is the need for health care facilities and hospital administrators to address gaps in human resources, infrastructures and other internal procedures and institutional systems aimed at reducing waiting time and thus ensuring an effective health car