Out-Patient Satisfaction with Physical Therapy Service in the Andong Region

안동지역의 외래물리치료실 이용환자의 만족도

The purpose of this study was to contribute to the relatively neglected area of out -patient satisfaction with physical therapy service by measuring and determining the factors affecting patient satisfaction in the Andong region. One hundred and forty-five subjects (81 males and 64 females) at 11 facilities with a mean age of 39.2 years (SD=16.2) responded to the satisfaction questionnaire. Each questionnaire contained a set of demographic questions and 19 patient satisfaction items. Cronbach's alpha test of reliability was used as the measure of internal consistency . The satisfaction scale had a good reliability coefficient : Cronbach's alpha=.8688. The average satisfaction score (minimum score=19, maximum score=95) was 75.4 ranging from 38 to 90. Respondent variables including sex, education, marital status, religion, medical security, average monthly income, and number of physical therapy out-patient department treatment visits were analyzed by t-test, ANOVA, and ANCOVA. Satisfaction with the service was largely unrelated to mallets of sex, education, occupation, or other demographic variables. However, marital status, age, average monthly income, and number of treatment visits in the out-patient department were significantly related to patient satisfaction. The analysis presented here could be replicatied with a larger sample in other areas. Other factors such as physical therapist availability, physical therapist competence, accessibility, waiting time, and atmosphere of the treatment area should be considered in further studies.