Patients' satisfaction in positron emission tomography/computed tomography departments in Gauteng province, South Africa.

BACKGROUND: Patient satisfaction is a subjective metric, yet an important one used for evaluating healthcare performance and identifying areas for improvement. Since the introduction of positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) in South Africa in 2005, limited information is available on patient satisfaction in PET/CT departments. Understanding patients' experiences in this setting is essential to ensure the delivery of high-quality, patient-centred care. AIM: This study assessed patients' satisfaction with care when undergoing PET/CT examinations. SETTING: The study was conducted at three selected academic public hospitals in the Gauteng province of South Africa. METHODS: This study employed a quantitative, cross-sectional, descriptive research design to collect data from 226 randomly selected respondents between March 2022 and September 2022. A structured, closed-ended, adapted questionnaire utilising a 5-point Likert scale was used to collect data through telephone surveys. RESULTS: This study had a predominance of female respondents (62.4%) over male respondents (37.6%). Overall, the study reported high satisfaction levels regarding staff's professionalism (92.5%), the privacy provided in the examination rooms (94.2%), the cleanliness of the examination rooms (88.9%), reception areas (90.3%), and toilets (93.8%), while only 0.4% expressed no satisfaction at all because their appointments were not kept at the scheduled times. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that the majority of patients were satisfied with the level of service and care they received during PET/CT examinations. However, there is a need to improve patient appointment adherence for achieving better clinical outcomes. CONTRIBUTION: Positron emission tomography/computed tomography staff should advise patients with appointment choices and provide service at the scheduled times.