Predicting Key Factors Affecting Outpatient Satisfaction in Public Hospitals: Evidence from Erzurum, Turkey

Abstract

The main purpose of this paper is to determine background demographic and socio-economic factors affecting outpatient satisfaction of public hospitals. The present study utilized data from a written-questionnaire administered to six hundred and one adult patients who had received outpatient care at various units of three Turkish pubic hospitals. The dependent variable used in predicting student satisfaction was satisfaction levels of the respondents. Due to the ordinal nature of the dependent variable, an ordered logit model was performed to examine demographic and socio-economic determinants of outpatient satisfaction in Erzurum, Turkey. Ordered logit estimation results revealed that type of hospital, marital status, age group, education level, occupation, residential place, monthly income, and information about private hospitals were statistically significant factors of outpatient satisfaction. This paper attempts to present factors affecting outpatient satisfaction in a municipality which was adopted as the leading health care service provider of its region where little work was done. Considering its geographical location, the results of this substantial region may be a valuable contribution for health care managers and policy makers.