A time motion study to evaluate the average waiting time in OPD with reference to patient satisfaction in the setting of state-level AYUSH Hospital (India)

The outpatient department (OPD) is the first point of contact of a hospital with patients and serves as the shop window of the hospital. The care in the OPD indicates the quality of services provided by the hospital and is reflected by patient satisfaction. Overcrowding contributes significantly to patient dissatisfaction because of the long waiting and less consultation time. Data on the services of AYUSH systems in India are scarce, although AYUSH systems are now a part of the national health-care delivery structure. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the services rendered by the AYUSH hospitals to understand the lacunae, help improve the system, and increase the accessibility among the masses. A time–motion study (TMS), including 100 patients from the state-level AYUSH Hospital, New Delhi, was conducted to assess the average waiting time of patients and the level of satisfaction of patients in terms of services provided by the hospital. The duration of this study was 15 working days. The data were gathered by TMS and direct patient interviews. The findings revealed that, on average, a patient spent nearly 2 h in the OPD from its arrival to exit. The major reason for this prolonged waiting time was the time for consultation, which was 1 h 10 min, and almost 16 min at the pharmacy. Moreover, the average time a patient spent with the doctor for consultation was 3 min. In conclusion, the patients were least satisfied by the OPD waiting time, consultation time, and pharmacy services.