OUTPATIENT SATISFACTION WITH PRIMARY HEALTH CARE SERVICES AND FACILITIES RECEIVED AT A COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER IN CHANDRAGIRI, TIRUPATI DISTRICT, ANDHRA PRADESH, INDIA: A PROSPECTIVE CROSS-SECTIONAL OBSERVATIONAL STUDY

Abstract

Background: Patient satisfaction is an important indicator of patients’ experiences with healthcare services and can provide useful information for assessing the quality and patient-centeredness of primary healthcare delivery. Community Health Centers provide a range of outpatient services, and systematic assessment of patients’ perceptions can help identify areas for maintaining and improving service quality. This study assessed outpatient satisfaction with primary healthcare services and facilities at a Community Health Center (CHC) in Chandragiri, Tirupati District, Andhra Pradesh, India. Methods: A prospective, cross-sectional, observational, descriptive study was conducted among adult outpatients attending CHC Chandragiri. A total of 300 participants were recruited using convenience sampling during the study period. Participants aged ≥18 years who attended the outpatient department, received the required services, and provided written informed consent were included. Data were collected using a structured, locally reviewed questionnaire administered after completion of the required outpatient services. Satisfaction was assessed using a five-point scale ranging from very poor to excellent across domains including general services and facilities, outpatient registration, paramedical services, and pharmacy services. Overall satisfaction and willingness to recommend the CHC were also assessed. Data were analyzed using Microsoft Excel and summarized using frequencies and percentages. No inferential statistical analysis was performed. Results: Among the 300 participants, 189 (63.0%) were female and 111 (37.0%) were male. The largest age group was 18–30 years, comprising 125 (41.7%) participants. Across the assessed service domains, responses were predominantly in the good and excellent categories. For overall satisfaction with the CHC, 150 (50.0%) participants rated the facility as excellent, 146 (48.7%) as good, and 4 (1.3%) as average; no participant reported poor or very poor overall satisfaction. Thus, 296 (98.7%) participants reported good or excellent overall satisfaction. Regarding recommendation of the CHC, 204 (68.0%) participants were very likely and 95 (31.7%) were likely to recommend the facility to their friends, family, or relatives, while 1 (0.3%) could not say. Overall, 299 (99.7%) participants were likely or very likely to recommend the CHC. Conclusion: The study demonstrated a predominantly favorable patient-reported experience among the 300 outpatients surveyed at CHC Chandragiri. Satisfaction was generally rated as good or excellent across the major service domains, with high overall satisfaction and willingness to recommend the facility. These findings provide facility-specific information that may support continued monitoring and quality-improvement initiatives in primary healthcare services. However, the findings should be interpreted in the context of the single-center design and convenience sampling. Further multicenter studies using standardized patient-experience instruments and objective service indicators are warranted.