Outpatient satisfaction among users attending the pharmacy of a pediatric specialized health facility in 2021

Abstract

External  user  satisfaction  with  pharmacy  services  is  a  key  indicator  for  evaluating  the  quality  of  care  provided  in  healthcare  institutions.  This  parameter  reflects  the  effectiveness  of  medication  dispensing and availability and assesses key aspects such as personalized service, the responsiveness of pharmaceutical  staff,  and  the  efficiency  of  waiting  time  management.  This  study  aimed  to  assess  the  satisfaction  level  among  external  users  attending  the  pharmacy  service  of  a  pediatric  health  facility  in  Lima,  Peru,  in  2021.  The  study  used  an  observational,  descriptive,  cross-sectional  design.  A  modified  SERVQUAL  questionnaire  was  administered  to  384  participants  who  visited  the  hospital's  pharmacy  service. Satisfaction was evaluated by considering the dimensions of reliability, empathy, responsiveness, safety, and tangibility. The information collected was described using absolute and relative frequencies. A total satisfaction level of 68.92% was found. High dissatisfaction rates were observed in the dimensions of responsiveness (40.5%) and tangibility (41.1%). In contrast, higher satisfaction rates were recorded for safety  (78.8%),  empathy  (77.31%),  and  reliability  (70.3%).  The  study  concluded  that  while  overall  user  satisfaction was moderately high, user dissatisfaction is high in critical areas, such as responsiveness and tangibility, and warrants further attention.