DOCTORS' PERSPECTIVES ON PATIENT SATISFACTION: QUALITATIVE SURVEY IN A TERTIARY HEALTH CARE FACILITY IN CHANDIGARH, INDIA

Background: Patient satisfaction is an important indicator of healthcare quality and system performance. While patient perspectives are commonly assessed, healthcare providers’ perspectives have received comparatively limited attention in India. Understanding doctors’ perceptions is important for developing effective quality-improvement strategies. Objective: To explore doctors’ perspectives regarding patient satisfaction, perceived quality of healthcare services, challenges encountered in providing patient care, and strategies for improving patient satisfaction in a tertiary-care government hospital in Chandigarh, India. Methods: An exploratory qualitative survey was conducted among doctors providing patient-care services in different outpatient departments of a tertiary-care government hospital in Chandigarh from April to December 2025. Convenience sampling was used, and 41 doctors were included. Data were collected through semi-structured personal interviews and a focus group discussion on strategies for improving patient care services was also conducted. Qualitative responses were analyzed using thematic coding, while proportions and percentages were used to describe quantitative findings. Results: Among all doctors surveyed, 87.8% considered patient satisfaction very important in evaluating quality of care, while 12.2% considered it important. Patient satisfaction surveys were considered accurate by 48.8%, very accurate by 14.6%, and somewhat accurate by 34.1% of doctors. Regular feedback was preferred directly from patients by 58.5% and through anonymized reports by 26.8%. Five major domains emerged: human resource strengthening and workload management; infrastructure and resource availability; patient communication and education; system and process reforms; and governance and policy strengthening. Human-resource shortages, excessive workload, overcrowding, inadequate infrastructure, inefficient processes, and administrative constraints were major perceived contributors to patient dissatisfaction. Conclusion: Doctors recognize patient satisfaction as an important component of healthcare quality. However, improving satisfaction requires a systems-oriented approach addressing staffing, workload, infrastructure, communication, digital processes, feedback mechanisms, and governance. Improving doctors’ working conditions and satisfaction should be considered integral to improving patient satisfaction and overall hospital performance.