Patients satisfaction from their consultant physicians in Shiraz

Abstract: The present study was designed to investigate a quantitative method for evaluation of patients satisfaction from their consultant physicians. Seventy eight physicians were selected randomly by systematic sampling method from a total of 421 consultant physicians practicing in Shiraz. Ten patients were selected randomly for each consultant physician that results in a sample of 780 patients. A questionnaire which covered 5 areas of demographical variables patient-physician relationship, physician area of specialty and other relevant variables was prepared. A Persian version of general health questionnaire (GHQ) and the other mentioned questionnaires were completed by the second author, the physician’s secretary and the physician himself. The results revealed that the patients were more satisfied with male physicians practice. Elder patients had higher level of satisfaction than youngers. Higher education showed negative correlation with the degree of satisfaction. The highest degree of satisfaction showed for pediatricians and the lowest for dermatologists. The score of GHQ factors showed positive correlation with the degree of satisfaction, i.e., less healthier were less satisfied. In the fitting logistic regression on some variables, appropriate model was obtained where the correct prediction in two groups satisfied and not satisfied patients, was 99.7% and 97.3% respectively. In the principal component analysis, the first component explained 51.4% of the total variation of variables related to the patients satisfaction. This model could be applied as a guide for measuring patients satisfaction. Keywords: Patients, Satisfaction, Quantitative method, Consultant physician, Risk factor