Analysis of Outpatient Prescription Service Waiting Time at the Pharmacy Installation of dr. Gondo Suwarno Regional General Hospital, Semarang Regency

Background: The quality of hospital services is influenced by outpatient pharmacy services, particularly the timeliness of medication dispensing. Waiting time is presumed to be associated with the type of prescription being processed. Aim: This study sought to describe the categories of prescription services and their associated waiting times, and to examine how prescription type relates to compliance with waiting-time standards at the Outpatient Pharmacy Installation of RSUD dr. Gondo Suwarno, Semarang Regency. Methods: A one-month prospective descriptive study examined 370 outpatient BPJS prescriptions drawn via the Slovin formula from a population of 4,843 prescriptions. The independent variable was the prescription category (compounded versus non-compounded BPJS prescriptions), while the dependent variable, waiting time, was tracked across the full service pathway, from prescription printing through BPJS screening, billing, labeling, dispensing, and drug information counseling, until the medication reached the patient. Data were summarized descriptively and tested using the Chi-square method in SPSS. Results: Among the 370 prescriptions reviewed, 289 (78%) were non-compounded and 81 (22%) were compounded. Roughly three-quarters (76.2%) of prescriptions overall failed to meet the Minimum Service Standard for waiting time, while only 23.8% met it. Compounded prescriptions averaged 48 minutes 35 seconds, compared with 1 hour 5 minutes 51 seconds for non-compounded ones. The Chi-square test confirmed a statistically significant link between prescription type and compliance with waiting-time standards (p < 0.001), with non-compounded prescriptions showing markedly higher non-compliance. Conclusion: Prescription type is significantly associated with waiting-time compliance, and the high service volume appears to be a key driver behind the shortfall in meeting the Minimum Service Standard.