Reducing waiting time to see physician at antenatal care clinic of University of Gondar comprehensive specialized hospital, Northwest Ethiopia

Abstract

Introduction: Long waiting time is one of the major problems that impede quality of services at University of Gondar comprehensive specialized hospital antenatal care clinic. As a result it had been an influence on quality and efficiency of service provision. Hence; implementation of an intervention to Reduce waiting time, was important. Objective: The objective of this study was reducing Total waiting time to see physician at antenatal care clinic of University of Gondar comprehensive specialized hospital. Methods: A hospital based waiting time measurement before and after the introduction of specific scheduling system was conducted; selected pregnant mother at ANC Clinic were Participated. Data was collected by research assistants at different segment of a client flow, starting from the registration room until entering the outpatient examination room. Tests of significance between the pre and post intervention phases of the project were performed by using independent sample t-test by using Excel Spreadsheet 2007 to determine whether the selected intervention significantly decreased patient waiting time to see physician. Ethical Considerations The research proposal was reviewed by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) committee of university of Gondar. Results: After implementing specific scheduling system, data from the post-intervention analysis showed a reduction in median wait time to see physician from 286 minutes in the pre-intervention study to 248 minutes in the post intervention study. This demonstrated waiting time reduction by 13.3%. (P value = 0.0026).Conclusions: The main factors leading to long wait time were identified and waiting time monitoring instrument as well as clinical observations indicated improvements in client waiting time but it needs for several measures, namely: More examination rooms, fully functional maternity side laboratory service and recruitment of general practitioners with strengthening of University of Gondar hospital service integration with other district hospitals and health centers.