Patients’ Satisfaction in Thoracic Surgery Inpatient Service at a Tertiary Care Center of Nepal: A Cross-sectional Study

Background: Patient satisfaction is a subjective indicator of the quality of care provided during a hospital course. Identifying the factors that affect patient satisfaction across various healthcare environments remains essential. This study aims to assess the satisfaction and associated factors among inpatients of the thoracic surgery unit of a tertiary care government hospital in Nepal. Data & Methods: A cross-sectional analysis of satisfaction levels was conducted among 122 patients consecutively admitted to the Thoracic Surgery unit from January 2024 to March 2024. Data were collected by interview using a questionnaire of 23 domains scored on a 4-point Likert scale, adapted from the Health Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey. Descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation, and percentages) were calculated, and the Chi-square test was applied to look for association between the level of satisfaction and other variables. Results: The majority of patients (56.2%) were 40 years and above, and males (62.3%). The overall satisfaction was 97.3%, with 97.5% willing to return for similar care. Patients reported high satisfaction with the nurse and physician in respect, listening, communication, availability, and competence. Satisfaction with room cleanliness, assistance with bathroom use, waiting time, and pain management discussion was low. The highest-scoring attribute was the competence of doctors (90.5%), and the lowest-scoring was the explanation of the side effects of a new medicine (47.5%). None of the sociodemographic and clinical variables had a significant association with the satisfaction scores. Conclusions: Most patients were satisfied with the overall care received. Although satisfaction with the physician and nursing care was high, there is a need for management to enhance room cleanliness and meaningful therapeutic communication.