Introduction
Data collection is part of the research work that includes the gathering of primary data from the respondents (Sekaram and Bougle, 2009). In this case, the data required would be collected from the daily patients who visit the hospital through the use of a questionnaire as it’s convenient and easy to use in a hospital. The questions have been limited to only critical ones to avoid any discomforts to patients. The population or the sample size for the survey has been determined to be 100 (N). A group of researchers would interview the first twenty patients who leave the hospital every day for five days. The total maximum points that can be awarded is 2500 but it will depend on the performance of the total points achieved but the minimum points possible has been set at 500 that’s incase all the questionnaires return a score of E or 1 point for a population of 100 entries for five questions while the maximum represents a score of A or 5 points for 100 entries for five questions. The following is the sample of the questionnaire that would be used to determine the Patients satisfaction levels at the hospital.
The first five questions attract no score however, points are earned from questions six to ten. The following information was retrieved from the researchers who gathered the data from the hospital;
| The Ten days data | |||||||
| Question | A | B | C | D | E | Totals | % ratings |
| 6 | 250 | 80 | 30 | 34 | 3 | 397 | 72.00 |
| 7 | 450 | 20 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 481 | 95.20 |
| 8 | 250 | 80 | 60 | 18 | 1 | 409 | 78.00 |
| 9 | 300 | 120 | 15 | 10 | 0 | 445 | 87.00 |
| 10 | 350 | 40 | 45 | 10 | 0 | 445 | 87.00 |
| Totals | 1600 | 340 | 156 | 76 | 5 | 2177 | 87.08 |
On question six most of the patients responded favorably towards the waiting time spent at the hospital and majority of the answers suggested that the patients were on average very satisfied with the average waiting time hence a rating of 72% was awarded. That’s the totals of columns A, B and C divided by the total possible points of 500 (Sekaram and Bougle, 2009).
To ensure reliability of the information, all the questions must be answered and the percentage scores would be pegged to the maximum scores possible to eliminate any bias against the lower points. For example a total score of 250 if calculated against a total of 397 it would amount to almost 90% of the totals but if calculated against the maximum possible of 500 then it would be 50%.
The hospital’s score on patient satisfaction is 87.1% which means that about 13% of the patients are dissatisfied with the services at the hospital with about 28% being particularly unhappy with the waiting period at the hospital while another 22% would not recommend their friends at the hospital. However, 97% of the patients are very satisfied with the staff response at the hospital.
The central measures of tendencies and the excel functions have also been used to arrive the summarized table above and which includes the research findings that have been arrived at after processing the information from the primary data and tabulating the summaries.
The other methods of collecting data like observation and interviewing patients are difficult to apply in a hospital as patients have different conditions and their convenience must also be factored when choosing the research method to adopt.
The sample size has been calculated based on the Wald binomial distribution where 4√0.25/n=W where a 95% confidence level is required. Hence n=1/B^2 where B is ± 10% n is 100 (0.01 x 10,000) (Bartlett, Kotrlik & Higgins, 2001).
To conclude, the hospital is providing very good service to the community and a very high number of patients are very happy with the services being provided at the hospital hence about 87% of the patients rate the services of the hospital as being very good and would definitely make a return visit in future.
References
Sekaram, U., Bougle, R. (2009) Research Methods for Business; A Skill Building Approach, 5th Edition. West Sussex, UK. John Wiley & sons.
Bartlett, J. E., Kotrlik, J. W. & Higgins, C. (2001). “Organizational research: Determining appropriate sample size for survey research”. Information Technology, Learning, and Performance Journal 19 (1): 43–50.
