A BSTRACT Background: Prolonged waiting in a queue while availing services in outpatient departments of government hospitals is one of the major problems faced by patients and their caregivers. This may have an impact on their satisfaction level and may influence treatment adherence. The present study aimed to examine queuing dynamics and Patient satisfaction level in an Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART) center in West Bengal. Objectives: To understand the queuing dynamics in the ART center of a tertiary care hospital. The project aimed to assess patient satisfaction level and elicit different socio-demographic and service-related factors, including prolonged waiting in a queue, influencing patient satisfaction. Methodology: The study was a hospital-based cross-sectional analytical mixed-method study. It was conducted at the ART center of Barasat Government Medical College, North 24 Parganas, West Bengal. 268 patients were interviewed using a predesigned, pretested semi-structured questionnaire. Focus Group Discussions among patients and healthcare providers were conducted to elicit possible reasons for the delay and solutions to improve the situation. Random queues were observed on random days of the week to assess queuing dynamics. Results: The average waiting time in a queue for registration was 81.6 minutes. The average time spent waiting at different stations in the entire system was 156 minutes. In total, 76.5% of patients opined that the waiting time is very long in the facility. However, 53% of patients were satisfied with the service provided, whereas 47% of the respondents were not satisfied with ART services. Multivariate logistic regression reveals a significant association between satisfaction level and total time spent in the system Odds Ratio: 8.4 (4.14–17.1). Conclusion: The majority of the study subjects felt that the waiting time was very long. The majority of patients who were intersex and who spent more time in the ART Center were not satisfied. As opined by the patients, an increase in the number of counters for each station, provision of wide space inside the ART center, and placement of more health care providers will decrease the congestion and delay in the queue, leading to better satisfaction.
Sarkar et al. (Wed,) studied this question.