How to adjust the expected waiting time to improve patients' satisfaction？

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Abstract
Background Long waiting time in hospital leads to patients’ low satisfaction. In addition to reducing the actual waiting time (AWT), we can also improve satisfaction by adjusting the expected waiting time (EWT). Then, what degree should medical institutions adjust patients' EWT to in order to improve patient’s satisfaction more effectively? Methods A total of 303 patients who were treated by the same doctor from August 2021 to April 2022 voluntarily participated in this study. The patients were randomly divided into six groups: a control group (n = 45) and five experimental groups (n = 252). Each group answered different questionnaires to explore the impact of different degrees of EWT extension on patient’s satisfaction. Each participant only participated in filling out one questionnaire. 297 valid questionnaires were obtained from the 303 questionnaires given. Results The experimental groups had significant differences between the initial EWT (T0) and extended EWT (T1) under the effect of unfavorable information (20.0 [10.0, 30.0] vs. 30.0 [10.0, 50.0], Z = -4.086, P < 0.001). There was no significant difference between sex, age, education level and hospital visit history (χ2 = 3.198, P = 0.270; χ2 = 2.177, P = 0.903; χ2 = 3.988, P = 0.678; χ2 = 3.979, P = 0.264) in extended EWT (T1). Compared with the control group, significant differences were found in patient’s satisfaction when T1 = 80 min (χ2 = 13.511, P = 0.004), T1 = 90 min (χ2 = 12.207, P = 0.007) and T1 = 100 min (χ2 = 12.941, P = 0.005). However, no significant difference was found when T1 = 70 min (χ2 = 7.747, P = 0.052) and T1 = 110 min (χ2 = 4.382, P = 0.223). When T1 = 90 min (T1 = Ta), 69.4% (34/49) of the individuals felt “very satisfied”. This proportion is not only significantly higher than that of the control group (34/ 49 vs. 19/52, χ2 = 10.916, P = 0.001), but also the highest among all groups. Conclusions Providing unfavorable information prompts can extend the EWT, but the extension needs to be based on the actual number of patients. Only when the extended EWT is close to the AWT can the patients’ satisfaction level be remarkably improved. Therefore, medical institutions can adjust the EWT of patient’s through information release according to the AWT of hospitals to improve patient’s satisfaction.

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