“COMMUNICATION BARRIER AND CUSTOMER SATISFACTION IN AN EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY OF PRIVATE TERTIARY CARE HOSPITALS IN KARACHI”

Abstract

Emergency departments (ED) in private tertiary care hospitals are often hectic and crowded environments where both patients and staff experience significant stress. In a tense ED environment, effective communication between patients and emergency department staff and physicians is crucial, as communication barriers can lead to errors and impact on the quality of care. Patient satisfaction, a key indicator of care quality, is determined by the alignment between expected and perceived care. This study aims to identify communication challenges in emergency departments that contribute to patient dissatisfaction and to assess their impact on overall satisfaction. A cross-sectional, mixed-methods approach was employed, involving open-ended interviews using the “Mall Intercept Interview” technique and survey responses on a Likert scale from patients at two private tertiary care hospitals in Karachi. Data analysis was carried out with SPSS, and revealed that patient satisfaction improves significantly when staff and physicians effectively communicate and explain medical issues and treatments in a clear, comprehensible manner.