Patient’s perception of the quality of care in the Ambulatory Surgery Unit of the Polyclinic Hospital of the western area of the Metropolitan Area of Buenos Aires

Abstract

Patient-centered care plays a fundamental role in hospital management, focusing on patient satisfaction as a key indicator of quality of care. The study aims to explore patients’ perceptions of the care provided in the public health system and to assess how these perceptions and the observance of their rights influence their level of satisfaction. A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out in the Outpatient Surgery Unit of the Polyclinic Hospital in the western area of the Buenos Aires suburbs, using the CARE-Q questionnaire to evaluate the satisfaction of 135 patients attended on an outpatient basis, respecting strict ethical principles and guaranteeing the confidentiality of the information obtained. The results of the study indicate an almost equal distribution of male and female patients, being predominantly those aged 53 to 64 years, mostly married, with secondary education level and Catholic religion; greater patient satisfaction was identified in the “trust relationship” variable of the CARE-Q questionnaire. However, no significant correlation was found between patient satisfaction and hours of hospitalization or age range. The study highlights high levels of patient satisfaction with nursing care, despite some shortcomings, and suggests research-based improvements and future studies to further optimize health care.