Outpatient Process Transformation and Patient Satisfaction Under New Public Service Theory

Zejun Cai,1 Ali Wu,1 Xiaofeng Wang,1 Haofen Xie2 1Department of Gastroenterology Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, 315010, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Outpatient, First Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, 315010, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Haofen Xie, Department of Outpatient, First Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University, No. 59 of Liuting Street, Haishu District, Ningbo, Zhejiang, 315010, People’s Republic of China, Tel +8613867889859, Email [email protected]: To explore the impact of outpatient process transformation guided by new public service (NPS) theory on patient satisfaction.Methods: A total of 600 outpatients were randomly selected for satisfaction surveys before and after the process transformation, which was designed and implemented based on the principles of NPS theory. The transformation targeted areas with satisfaction scores below 9 points. Data were collected in June–August 2023 (pre-transformation) and June–August 2024 (post-transformation).Results: After the process transformation, patient satisfaction scores significantly improved across all dimensions, including the medical environment, treatment procedures, service quality, respect for patients, privacy protection, responsiveness to complaints and overall evaluation (all P < 0.05).Conclusion: The application of NPS theory in outpatient process management effectively enhances patient satisfaction and service quality. This study provides empirical support for the value of patient-centred reforms and offers practical insights for healthcare institutions seeking to improve outpatient services through theory-guided interventions.Keywords: new public service theory, outpatient service, process transformation, degree of satisfaction