article · BMC Health Services Research
A cross-sectional study conducted at Hiwot Fana Comprehensive Specialized Hospital in eastern Ethiopia assessed parental satisfaction with paediatric inpatient healthcare services. Evaluating 413 parents between February and March 2024 using the EMPATHIC assessment tool, the study recorded an overall parental satisfaction rate of 61.5 per cent, which was categorised as low. Several factors significantly influenced these ratings. Positive predictors included having a child aged between two and six years, receiving moderate social support, and encountering caring behaviour from healthcare professionals, which had the strongest positive correlation. In contrast, parental satisfaction was markedly lower among families whose children were in poor health or received care in the paediatric emergency unit. These findings highlight practical targets for clinical staff and hospital administrators seeking to improve paediatric inpatient services.
Evaluating parental satisfaction provides critical insight into the quality and delivery of hospital care for children. Pinpointing specific service shortfalls, such as issues within emergency units, alongside positive drivers like compassionate staff conduct, helps clinical leaders direct quality improvement initiatives. Addressing these modifiable factors enables healthcare facilities to better support families and improve the overall care experience for paediatric patients.
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Parental satisfaction is crucial for evaluating pediatric healthcare services, but there is a lack of data on satisfaction levels with inpatient services in the study setting. Therefore, this study aims to determine the level of parental satisfaction with pediatric inpatient healthcare services at Hiwot Fana Comprehensive Specialized Hospital in eastern Ethiopia. A cross-sectional study was conducted at Hiwot Fana Comprehensive Specialized Hospital (HFCSH) involving 413 parents who had brought their children for pediatric inpatient services between February 1 and March 30, 2024. The participants were chosen through systematic random sampling with a K- interval of two. The parental level of satisfaction was measured using the EMPATHIC parent satisfaction tool. The analysis was conducted using SPSS version 27. Bivariate logistic regression was performed to assess the association of the outcome variable with the independent variable. The strength of association was determined by an AOR and a 95% confidence interval. Statistical significance was declared at a p-value < 0.05. This study included 413 parents, with a 100% response rate. The satisfaction level of parents was 61.5% (95% CI 56.6%, 66.0%). Factors significantly associated with parental satisfaction were having children aged 2 to 6 years (AOR = 1.671, 95% CI 1.01, 2.75), visiting pediatric emergency wards (AOR = 0.31, 95% CI: 0.18, 0.56), poor health status (AOR = 0.479, 95% CI: 0.29, 0.79), moderate social support (AOR = 2.06, 95% CI: 1.30, 3.75), and caring behavior of health professionals (AOR = 6.62, 95% CI: 4.01, 10.91). This study revealed that the level of parental satisfaction with pediatric healthcare services was low. The study also identified modifiable factors that predicted parental satisfaction, including moderate social support, good health professional caring behavior, children in poor health, and inadequate services in the pediatric emergency unit.
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DOI: 10.1186/s12913-026-15192-9
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