Patient Satisfaction and Its Associated Factors Among Outpatient and Inpatient Health-Care Service Users: A Cross-Sectional Study

BackgroundEvaluating patient experience and satisfaction is a critical marker of quality in healthcare systems.This study aimed to comprehensively evaluate patient experiences, identify operational bottlenecks, and measure satisfaction across outpatient department (OPD) and inpatient department (IPD) services at a tertiary care referral centre in North India. MethodsThis hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted at a tertiary care super-specialty hospital in Lucknow, India, from January 1, 2025, to December 31, 2025.A total of 500 patients (aged 18 years or older) were enrolled after obtaining informed consent.Data were collected using a structured and pre-tested questionnaire covering socio-demographic details, clinical profiles, specific service-related experiences, and overall satisfaction measured on a 5-point rating scale.One-way ANOVA, the chi-square test, and binary logistic regression analysis were employed to compare means, examine associations, and identify independent predictors, respectively. ResultsAmong the 500 participants, mean age was 41.3 ± 19.2 years; 216 (43.2%) were female, 309 (61.8%) resided in rural areas, 216/468 (46.2%) were unemployed, and 235/377 (62.3%) belonged to lower-income brackets (≤ INR 27,648 /month).Long-distance travel (> 100 km) was reported by 374 (74.8%) of participants.The most common primary disease conditions were kidney diseases (102, 20.4%) and neurological disorders (81, 16.2%).Overall satisfaction levels were quite high among both OPD and IPD patients.A total of 257 (51.4%)OPD patients and 226 (45.2%)IPD patients rated the overall quality of services as 'excellent'.When OPD and IPD patients were considered together, 244 (48.8%) rated the overall management as 'excellent'.Among the various aspects of management irrespective of OPD and IPD services, the care provided by doctors received the highest praise, with 95 (19.0%) patients highlighting it.Additionally, 122 (24.4%) patients expressed satisfaction with the services provided, indicating a generally positive perception of the healthcare services.Major areas identified for improvement included time-consuming processes (21, 4.2%), security services (20, 4.0%), support services (18, 3.6%), and toilet/water facilities (15, 3.0%).No statistically significant association was found between primary disease category and overall OPD management.Experiences with doctors, as well as perceptions regarding nursing care and the quality of treatment, emerged as the key independent factors influencing patient satisfaction. ConclusionsPatients expressed high overall satisfaction with clinical care and management at this tertiary institution.However, targeted administrative strategies to streamline operational workflows, reduce waiting times, and improve basic facility maintenance (sanitation and amenities) are needed to optimise patient-centred service delivery.