The Evaluating Patient Satisfaction with Care and Services in the Dialysis Unit of Holy Family Hospital, Rawalpindi: A Clinical Audit: Evaluating Patient Satisfaction with Care and Services in the Dialysis Unit of Holy Family Hospital, Rawalpindi: A Clinical Audit

Abstract

Background Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a major global health challenge, affecting over 850 million people worldwide. More than 4 million individuals depend on dialysis for survival. In Pakistan, nearly 20 million people are estimated to have CKD, yet only a small proportion receive regular haemodialysis due to limited facilities and financial constraints. Despite the disease burden, few local studies have assessed patient satisfaction with dialysis services.

Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional clinical audit was conducted from November to December 2024. Thirty-four patients undergoing maintenance haemodialysis for at least three months completed a structured questionnaire based on a five-point Likert scale (1 = very dissatisfied, 5 = very satisfied). Data were analysed using SPSS version 25. Descriptive statistics were expressed as mean ± standard deviation for continuous variables and frequencies with percentages for categorical variables.

Results: The highest satisfaction was reported for staff behaviour (mean = 4.73 ± 0.45), cleanliness (4.61 ± 0.49), and nephrologist availability (4.59 ± 0.50). Relatively lower scores were noted for dietary counselling (4.28 ± 0.62) and emotional support (3.91 ± 0.71). Overall, 70.6% of patients were very satisfied, 26.5% were satisfied, and 2.9% were neutral. None were dissatisfied.

Conclusion: Patients demonstrated high satisfaction with most aspects of care, particularly staff conduct and cleanliness. Areas requiring improvement include emotional support and dietary counselling. Regular patient feedback and periodic audits are recommended to ensure continuous quality improvement and enhance patient-centred dialysis care.