Patient Reception and Registration in Outpatient Clinics, with a Focus on Patient Referrals from Clinics to Hospitals

This cross-sectional study examined 50 complete responses to a 25-item questionnaire on patient reception and registration, referral, coordination, electronic systems, and perceived quality and continuity of healthcare in Misrata, Libya. Composite scores were calculated as the mean of five items assigned to each dimension. Reception and registration had the highest mean (M = 3.86, SD = 0.57), followed by perceived quality and continuity (M = 3.62, SD = 0.57); electronic systems had the lowest mean (M = 2.87, SD = 0.60). Overall internal consistency was high (Cronbach’s α = 0.987). Pearson correlations ranged from r = 0.916 to r = 0.956, and all four were significant after Holm adjustment (p < 0.001); Spearman results were similar. Five groups of exact repeated response patterns involving 12 records were observed. A sensitivity analysis retaining one record per unique pattern yielded similar estimates (n = 43). The high reliability and correlations warrant cautious interpretation in view of potential item overlap and common-method effects; cross-sectional associations do not establish causation.