Patient satisfaction with the local physiotherapy outpatient amputee rehabilitation services

Abstract

Patient satisfaction is a complex and multifactorial concept crucial for the measurement and evaluation of the health care services being provided. There are several factors that make a patient satisfied or dissatisfied with physiotherapy intervention, particularly among a patient population who is greatly impacted by the physical and psychological implications following amputation. Amputees’ rehabilitation is a long and extensive programme requiring the input of several health care professionals. The aim for this research study was to explore these factors in relation to the existing literature to determine whether service users’ needs and expectations of the service delivered at ARU are being met. In addition, it intends to identify which of these factors influence patient satisfaction the most in the local scenario. A quantitative questionnaire was designed specifically by the researcher for the purpose of this study. A total of 19 participants were recruited for this study through informed consent. The trends of the results obtained indicate high levels of satisfaction with the physiotherapy service at ARU. The patient-physiotherapist interaction was identified as the most important aspect, and this is concurrent with that of the established literature. It can thus be concluded that for this sample, the physiotherapy service being delivered at ARU is satisfactory and meets the needs of its primary consumers.