| ObjectiveTesting report is important for diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of disease and quality improvement is always the focus in clinical laboratories. Assessing customer satisfaction with services is one of approaches to measuring quality, which could provide opportunity for laboratories to identify quality defects in total processes and carry out corrective actions. This study aims to investigate the state of conducting customer satisfaction survey in China’s laboratories and the overall customer satisfaction in Chinese clinical laboratories, detecting the aspects customers value most and to be improved. Synthetic evaluation models of customer satisfaction were also established using analytic hierarchy process (AHP).MethodThe study have two stage of surveys. One survey the state of conducting customer satisfaction survey in China’s laboratories from May 15th to June 30th,2015, requiring participant laboratories to submit the condition of conduction customer satisfaction surveys, the content of survey questionnaire and documentary procedure and support. The other survey the physician, nurse and patient satisfaction in Chinese clinical laboratories from November 1nd 2015 to January 1st 2016, requiring participant laboratories to submit the general survey and 30 questionnaires each of physician, nurse, outpatient and inpatient. The content of the questionnaire include instructions for how to administer the survey, demographics, specific aspects of clinical laboratory services, the overall satisfaction, aspects valued most, if recommending the laboratory to other customers, open-ended question for advice. The satisfaction will be rated on a scale of lto 5, representing poor, below average, average, good, excellent. SPSS13.0 was used to describe the satisfaction scores and the rate of satisfaction. Chi-square test, univariate and multivariate Logistic regression were employed to determine the possible socio-demographic characteristics associated with the level of satisfaction. Analytic hierarchy process (AHP) was used to establish the synthetic evaluation models of customer satisfaction.ResultsIn the first stage,34.54%(794/2299) of laboratories submitted their questionnaires, of which 92.19%(732/794) claimed customer satisfaction surveys were once conducted in their laboratories. The most common survey frequency was quarterly (physician and nurse:28.46%,226/794, patient:28.59%,227/794).Pearson Chi-square and Kruskal-Wallis (K-W) test showed percentages of laboratories once conducting customer satisfaction survey and survey frequency in different grades of hospital were significantly different. Physician, nurse and patient were all surveyed in 70.77%(518/732) of the laboratories. Customer satisfaction surveys were conducted by department of laboratory medicine and administrative department in 37.43%(274/732) of participant hospitals. The most common methods of sampling were simple random sampling in every department (physician and nurse:71.58%,524/732) and simple random sampling in outpatient and inpatient (patient:75.14%,550/732). Majority of laboratories sent out less than 50 questionnaires (physician:78.96%,578/732, nurse:79.23%,580/732, patient: 68.72%,503/732).59.70%(437/732) of the laboratories completed one survey in one week. The most commonly used items in physician satisfaction survey questionnaires were clinical compliance of test results, critical value notification, stat test TAT and so on. The most commonly used items in nurse satisfaction survey questionnaires were staff courtesy, critical value notification, Outpatient test TAT and so on. The most commonly used items in patient satisfaction survey questionnaires were staff courtesy, getting test results timely, clinical compliance of test results and do on.49.29%(244/495) of the laboratories set 3 satisfaction levels. Over half laboratories had a satisfaction survey questionnaire without demographics. Most of the participants claimed they had documented procedure and support related to customer service. In the second stage, the returning rate of physician, nurse, outpatient and inpatient satisfaction surveys were 24.58%(565/2299),23.62%(543/2299),22.92%(527/229) and 20.66%(475/2299) respectively. A total of 14118 physician surveys were submitted by 565 institutions. The overall satisfaction score for all institutions ranged from 3.0 to 5.0. The median overall score for all participants was 4.39 (10th percentile,3.96; 25th percentile,4.03; 75th percentile,4.70; 90th percentile,4.97). The categories most frequently selected as the most important categories of laboratory services were quality/reliability of results, stat TAT, timely reported critical value. Physicians were most satisfied with the clearness and standard of clinical report, quality/reliability of results, the content and format of clinical report. Physicians were most dissatisfied with propaganda of clinical value for new test, Esoteric test TAT, the adaptability to clinical needs of laboratory information system (LIS). Statistic analysis showed demographics associated with physician satisfaction included position, gender and age. Characteristics of clinical laboratories associated with physician satisfaction included accreditation by ISO15189, the number of bed in the hospital, provision of instruction to phlebotomist not managed by the laboratory, training frequency of customer service and so on. A total of 13951 nurse surveys were submitted by 543 institutions. The overall satisfaction score for all institutions ranged from 3.0 to 5.0. The median overall score for all participants was 4.39 (10th percentile,3.96; 25th percentile,4.03; 75th percentile,4.76; 90th percentile,5.00). The categories most frequently selected as the most important categories of laboratory services were stat TAT, timely reported critical value, quality/reliability of results, nurses were most satisfied with timely reported critical value, the accuracy of critical value, quality/reliability of results, nurses were most dissatisfied with the training of specimen transportation, the training of specimen collection with nurses, update of collection manual. Statistic analysis showed demographics associated with nurse satisfaction included title and title and position. Characteristics of clinical laboratories associated with physician satisfaction included the type of hospital, the number of beds in the hospital, daily outpatient service flow, provision of instruction to phlebotomist not managed by the laboratory, training frequency of customer service and so on. A total of 12865 and 11742 outpatient and inpatient surveys were submitted by 527 and 475 institutions respectively. The overall satisfaction score for all institutions ranged from 2.70 to 5.0 for outpatient and from 2.67 to 5.0 for inpatient. The median overall score for all participants was 4.50 (10th percentile,4.00; 25th percentile,4.13; 75th percentile,4.83; 90th percentile,5.00) for outpatient and 4.50 (10th percentile,4.00; 25th percentile,4.07; 75th percentile,4.87; 90th percentile,5.00). The categories most frequently selected as the most important categories of laboratory services by both outpatient and inpatient were timely notification of the time and location for reports, thorough disinfection for phlebotomy, convenient channel to get lab result, outpatient were most satisfied with using plain language when communicating with patient, timely notification of the time and location for reports, convenient channel to get lab result. Outpatient were most dissatisfied with the ability of phlebotomist to make patient relax, comfort of phlebotomy tables and chairs, clear signs for the location of Latrine for specimen collection. Inpatient were most satisfied with thorough disinfection for phlebotomy, respect to patients’ private, using plain language when communicating with patient. Inpatient were most dissatisfied with comfort of phlebotomy tables and chairs, clear signs for the location of Latrine for specimen collection, cleanness and tidy of waiting time. Statistic analysis showed demographics associated with outpatient and inpatient satisfaction were the same, including age, educational status, times of patients visiting laboratory. Experience of patients visiting laboratory this time associated with outpatient and inpatient satisfaction were order of specimen collection, provision of instruction when collecting specimen by themselves, information provision about bruise, number of needle stick attempt, waiting time to get lab result. Experience of patients visiting laboratory this time associated with inpatient satisfaction also included waiting time to get blood drawing service. Characteristics of clinical laboratories associated with outpatient satisfaction included the grade of hospitals, the type of hospitals, the number of beds in the hospital, daily outpatient service flow, the number of staffs in the laboratory, phlebotomist in the outpatient department, provision of instruction to phlebotomist not managed by the laboratory, training frequency of customer service and so on. Characteristics of clinical laboratories associated with inpatient satisfaction didn’t include the number of staffs in the laboratory but included if with LIS or HIS, phlebotomist in the inpatient department. Median recommendation rate of physician, nurse, outpatient and inpatient were all 100%.75th percentile of recommendation rate for physician, nurse, outpatient and inpatient were 90.00%,91.65%, 90.00% and 90.00%.ConclusionThere was a high level of physician satisfaction and loyalty with clinical laboratory services. There still existed aspects of dissatisfaction, which provided opportunities for laboratories to improve service quality. There existed divergence between customer and expertise in the field of clinical laboratories regarding the most important service aspects. Clinical laboratory should focus on the aspects valued most by customers. Many clinical laboratories in our country were not familiar with the concept and implication of customer satisfaction. More related study should be conducted to provide reference for clinical laboratories. |
PDF Full Text Request