PATIENTS PERCEPTION AND THE LEVEL OF SATISFACTION WITH ULTRASOUND SERVICES PROVIDED AT THE BOWEN UNIVERSITY TEACHING HOSPITAL (BUTH), OGBOMOSO, OYO TATE, NIGERIA

ABSTRACT: Background: The quality of an ultrasound service is not determined by technical performance alone but also involves the patients’ judge of the services they received from sonographers, therefore, this study assessed patient perception and satisfaction with ultrasound services provided at the Bowen University Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso, Oyo State, Nigeria. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional design was used among 200 patients selected through systematic random sampling. Data was collected using a structured questionnaire immediately after ultrasound service utilization and analyzed using frequencies, percentages, and Chi-square tests. Results: Most respondents were aged 26–30 years (45%) and female (70%); 52% had secondary education. Hospital accessibility was high, with 83.5% reporting that the facility was easily reachable. Overall, 97% of respondents were satisfied with ultrasound services. Overall satisfaction was statistically significant (χ² = 176.72, p < 0.05). However, satisfaction was not significantly associated with gender (χ² = 0.033, p > 0.05) or educational level (χ² = 2.238, p > 0.05). Key areas for improvement included reducing waiting time, recruiting qualified staff, providing modern diagnostic equipment, and improving staff–patient communication. Conclusion: Ultrasound services were generally satisfactory, but continuous quality improvement is needed to sustain and enhance service delivery. Keywords: Diagnostic imaging, patient perception, patient satisfaction, ultrasound