Publication:

A study using patient feedback to predict the effects of quality improvement initiatives in a tertiary care hospital of India

Background Patient feedback is increasingly recognized as an important indicator of healthcare quality and quality improvement (QI), but evidence from tertiary care hospital in India remains limited. Aim was to assess whether patient feedback predicts perceived QI effectiveness and identify key influencing factors.

Methods A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 872 patients at a tertiary care hospital for a period of 6 months. Data were collected using a standardised 21-item questionnaire and analysed using descriptive statistics, correlation, and regression analysis.

Results Overall patient satisfaction was high (94%). Patient satisfaction showed a strong positive correlation with perceived QI effectiveness (r=0.701, p<0.001) and explained 49.2% of its variation. Service quality (β=0.730, p<0.001) and staff behaviour and communication (β=0.333, p<0.001) were significant positive predictors, while infrastructure satisfaction showed a negative association (β=–0.183, p<0.001). Together, predictors explained 73.7% of the variation in perceived QI effectiveness.

Conclusions Patient feedback is a strong predictor of perceived QI effectiveness. Service quality and staff communication strongly influence patient perceptions, highlighting the value of integrating patient feedback into routine QI strategies.