Year: 2026 | Month: July | Volume: 16 | Issue: 7 | Pages: 220-233
DOI: https://doi.org/10.52403/ijhsr.20260723
Assessment of Patient Satisfaction with Doctor-Patient Interaction Among Inpatients of a Tertiary Care Hospital
Krithika Karnapooshanam1, Lidiya George2, Jaivant Murali3, Krishna Prasanth Baalann4
1Assistant Professor, Department of General Medicine, Rajalakshmi Medical College & Hospital, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
2Assistant Professor, Department of Anaesthesiology, Bharath Medical College & Hospital, Bharath Institute of Higher Education and Research, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
3Assistant Professor, Department of Community Medicine, Indira Medical College & Hospital, Pandur, Tamil Nadu, India
4Assistant Professor & Epidemiologist, Department of Community Medicine, Sree Balaji Medical College & Hospital, Bharath Institute of Higher Education and Research, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
Corresponding Author: Dr. B. Krishna Prasanth
ABSTRACT
Background: Patient satisfaction with doctor-patient interaction is an important indicator of inpatient care quality, particularly in tertiary hospitals where patients often experience high clinical dependency and prolonged contact with healthcare teams.
Objectives: This study assessed the level of inpatient satisfaction with doctor-patient interaction and examined sociodemographic and clinical factors associated with overall satisfaction.
Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 300 adult inpatients admitted for at least 48 hours in General Medicine, General Surgery, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, and Orthopaedics wards. Data were collected using a pre-tested, locally adapted 20-item patient satisfaction questionnaire covering information provision, interpersonal communication, perceived technical competence, time and accessibility, and respect for autonomy and dignity. Scores were analysed using descriptive statistics, group comparison tests, correlation analysis and multivariate linear regression.
Results: The mean overall satisfaction score was 73.33 ± 9.84 out of 100. A total of 232 patients (77.3%) were satisfied or highly satisfied, 44 (14.7%) were neutral, and 24 (8.0%) were dissatisfied or highly dissatisfied. Interpersonal manner and communication recorded the highest mean sub-domain score (15.34 ± 2.14), while time provision and accessibility recorded the lowest score (13.47 ± 2.87). Higher satisfaction was significantly associated with older age, lower educational status, lower socioeconomic class and longer duration of hospitalisation. In multivariate analysis, educational status was the strongest independent predictor of satisfaction, followed by age, socioeconomic class, ward of admission and duration of hospitalisation.
Conclusion: Most inpatients reported favourable satisfaction with doctor-patient interaction, but physician time availability and accessibility remained the principal areas requiring improvement. Structured communication practices, protected ward-round time and periodic patient satisfaction audits may help strengthen patient-centred inpatient care.
Key words: patient satisfaction; doctor-patient interaction; inpatient care; tertiary care hospital; communication; India