Introduction

Background

Statement of the problem

Hypothesis

Theoretical/conceptual framework

Scope and limitation

Significance of the study

Definition of terms

CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

A Hospital is a charitable institution for the needy, aged, infirm, or young, as

defined in the Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary. Further, it was stated in

Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary that a hospital is a large building were sick

or injured people are given medical treatment and care. So, hospitals are very

important. In health care, many needs and necessities are rapidly emerging, and

whatever these needs are, they have to be catered and satisfied. Health care is in

constant change. Besides changes in medical practices itself, finance, insurance,

Medicare regulations change regularly (Types of Health Care Management

Theories by Jared Lewis © 2001-2006). Now, what do hospitals should have in

order to cater the needs of the patients?

There are various developments in Medicare facilities and health management

today. Many guidelines based on theories were made on how to develop a good
health care management particularly in hospitals (James Rickert 2012). One of the

theories is Patient-Centered Management Theory. The effectiveness of a hospital

or other health care facility is dependent upon the type of health care management

theory it subscribes to how well that theory is implemented (Types of Health Care

Management Theories by Jared Lewis © 2001-2006).

Hospitals must create a safe environment for patients. It must be conducive for the

fast recovery of illnesses. There are various programs that were launched to

improve hospital service to give satisfaction to patients. Now how can patients be

satisfied? What are the needs of patients? What matters most to the patients? These

are just few of the questions that need to be emphasized and answered.

Patients are the main reason why health care exist (Bosch, Marjie C. et.

Al:/Planning an Studying Improvement in Patient Care: The Use of Theoretical

Perspectives), therefore patients need the highest attention in health care.

This study was able to gather information from patients regarding their perception

in the services that they received from the hospital. Perception according to Oxford

Advanced Learner’s Dictionary is the way you notice things, especially with the

senses, especially the senses, it is the ability to understand the true nature of

something, an idea, a belief or an image you have as a result of how you see or

understand something. Patients perception in this research refers to the opinions of

patients in connection to the services they received or enjoy in the hospital. This

research is conducted to find answers on what hospitals may do to provide in order

to cater the needs of the patients, in order to give them quality service.

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

The Research is conducted at Canlaon District Hospital in Canlaon City

The subjects of this research were ether inpatients of Canlaon District Hospital in

Canlaon City Negros Oriental. Specifically, it consisted of 50 respondents, 25

males and 25 females from 18 years old and above. No minors were included in

the study to ensure reliability of the information being gathered.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

This study aims to determine the perception of the in-patients towards the services

offered in Canlaon District Hospital. Specifically, it sought to answer the following

sub-problems.

1. What is the In-Patients' profile in terms of;

1.1 age,

1.2 gender,

1.3 educational attainment, and

1.4 income background

2. What are the In-Patients' perceptions of the services offered by Canlaon District

Hospital when it comes to:

2.1 diagnostic testing,

 2.2 prescriptions

2.3 hospitalization,

2.4 referrals, and

2.5 doctor-patient relationship like such as good communication and empathy?

3. What are the common problems encountered by the patients with the hospital

services stated above?

4. What are the insights or recommendations viewed by the patients to solve the

problems met?

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

According to James Rickert 2012 on his study Patient-Centered are: What it means

and how to get there, patient-centered care improves patients' clinical outcomes

and satisfaction. Patient-centered practitiooners focus on improving different

aspects of the patient-physician interaction by employing measurable skills and

behaviours. This type of care can be employed by physicians in any specialty, and

its effective across disease types.

One of the basic tenets of patent-centered care is the idea that patients know best

on how wekl their care provider are meeting their needs, and it’s the patients' view

of his or health care delivery that correlates with the outcome of satisfaction. The

second fundamental aspect of a patient-centered care concerns the relationship

between health care providers and their patients. Health care providers are

sometimes blamed by their patients in cases of inability to diagnose the problems

while physicians and their advocates point the patients for not following

instructions.
In summary, patient-centered care is method of care that relies upon effective

communication, empathy, and feeling of partnership between doctor and patient to

improve patient care outcomes and satisfaction, to lessen or reduce unnecessary

cost.

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

James Rickert: Patient-Centered Management Theory

Factors that can affect or influence Patient Satisfaction in

Hospitals

Personal Relationship of Patients and doctors, Good Doctor-

Patient Communication, Empathy of doctors towards Patients

Decrease of Diagnostic Testing, prescriptions, hospitalizations,

referrals and the unnecessary cost
 Patient Satisfaction

Figure 1. Theoretical Framework of the Study

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

Patients' perceptions of quality of care and their satisfaction with quality of care

may affect health outcomes (Crow, et. al., 2002; Wilde Larson and Larson, 2009).

The researchers identified two variables that can affect the variedness of patients'

perception. First, are the dependent variables Diagnostic Testing, Perceptions,

Referrals, Hospitalization, Doctor-Patient relationship. Second, are the dependent

variables which include Age, Gender, and Socio-economic of the Patients in terms

of their educational attainment and income background.

The process of the study is shown in the conceptual framework; the researcher took

first the patients profile that can affect the way of perceiving the effectiveness of

the services offered by CANLAON DISTRICT HOSPITAL. The perception they

have can be explained by the problems they have encountered with regards to the

services they received. Thus determine the degree or rate of satisfaction they have

with the services of CANLAON DISTRICT HOSPITAL.

Patients' perceptions of quality care also affect their overall health behaviour after

discharge, positive ratings of quality service and seems to be correlated with

having no hesitation about re-visiting the same hospital ward (Wilde Larson and

Larson, 2009)

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

Patients’ Perception in the Services offered at Canlaon District Hospital

Services
Patients’ Offered in
Profile CANLAON
DISTRICT
HOSPITAL

Diagnostic
Age Testing or
Consultation

Prescriptions
Problems Met Patients
Gender or Degree of
Encountered Satisfaction

Hospitalization
Educational
Attainment

Income
Background

Doctor-Patient
Relationship

Figure 2. Conceptual Framework of the Study

SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS

This study was limited and only covers the specific hospital, Canlaon District

Hospital in the Guihilngan City, Negros Oriental.

Determining the patients' perception towards the services offered buy the hospital

was the focus of this research. Perception refers to the opinions of the patients in

connection to the services they received or enjoy the hospital. Patients’' perception

as used in this study refers directly to how satisfied the respondents were with

regards to the hospital's services. A total of 50 (25 male and 25 female) in-patients

with the age of 18 years and above. The information needed was gathered using

checklist and researcher made questionnaires, along with the interviews. The

patients' perception that the researcher is trying to find is limited only in the

following services, diagnostic testing or consultations, prescriptions,

hospitalizations, referrals, and doctor patient relationship like good communication

and empathy and the common problems encountered by patients with regards to

the hospital services.

All information and conclusions drawn from this study were obtained purely from

the patients' perception in the services offered in the said hospital.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

Prevention is better than cure, because we do not really know what will happen to

is. Considering that health is wealth we need services that would free us from

illnesses or to be cured from illnesses. That is the reason why it is important for us

to study the health services provided by the nearest hospital.

Therefore, this study is deemed significant to the following:

Patients this paper may help patients to be aware of the services offered by the

hospital. Every hospital is different this study helps the patients in distinguishing

the varying services and let their compliments be known.

Hospital Management This can give information to the hospital management

about the services that the patients expect from them. They could utilize the

information to make their services better and improve its quality.

Community This study enables the awareness of every reader when it come to the

quality of services offered by their health care provider.

Government The result of this study will help the government in planning put

project that will help in improving the services offered by Canlaon District

Hospital, especially because it is a public hospital.

DEFINITION OF TERMS

For better understanding and clarification of the terms related to this study, the

following terms are defined operationally and conceptually.

In-Patients or Patients. This refers to the people who are admitted in the hospital.

Patients Perception. This refers to the opinions of the patients in connection to the

services that they received or enjoy during and even after their admission in the

hospital.

Services or Hospital services. This refers to the programs that the hospital ia

offering, e.g. Laboratory test and the like etc.

Canlaon District Hospital. A hospital situated in the City of Canlaon, Negros

Oriental an is the place where the study was conducted.

Diagnostic Testing or Consultation. This refers to the laboratory tests that the

patients underwent while staying in the hospital.

Prescriptions. This refers to the medicines that the doctor prescribed for the

patients to buy.

Hospitalization. This refers to the accommodation that the patients feel and

received while staying in the hospital. This includes the ambiance of the hospital,

facilities, lights, and ventilation, and the entire environment of the hospital.

Referrals. This refers to the cases when the hospital refer their patients in to

another hospital.

Doctor Patient-Relationship. This refers to the way how doctors interact with

their patients. In addition, it is what the patients feel with regards to the treatment

hey received from their doctors.

ASSUMPTIONS

The researcher assumed that the term "Patient Perception" in the title of this study,

Patients' Perception of the Services offered in Canlaon District Hospital. refers

directly to Patient Satisfaction for whether the perception of the patients towards

the services offered in the hospital is good or bad, it will always be the basis of

their satisfaction. The researcher assumed further that since the hospital mentioned

here is a public hospital then there may be many problems with regards to its

function foe this is the common problem mostly met by public establishments.

Since there is no hospital in the area, then patients' must be satisfied because of the

lack of choice. But still concrete data should be gathered in order to better

understand this subject matter and ensure the validity and reliability of this study.

More assumptions of the researcher are as follows:

1. The researcher assumed the mostly of the In-Patient of Canlaon District Hospital

are of old age, most are of low socioeconomic status in terms of educational

attainment and income. The assumptions made are through the direct observation

of the researcher of the Canlaon District Hospital.

2. The researcher assumed that there are many problems met by the patients of the

hospital.

3. Due to the problems, met by the patients, the researcher assumed that the

patients have many suggestions as ways to improve the services of the hospital.