Factors associated with patient satisfaction in a Vietnamese university hospital emergency department: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND

Patient satisfaction is an important indicator of emergency department (ED) quality, but evidence from low- and middle-income countries remains limited. This study evaluated patient satisfaction and associated factors in a university hospital ED in Vietnam.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted at Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital between June and September 2025. A total of 250 respondents (197 patients and 53 caregiver proxies) completed a structured questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and multivariable linear regression, with sensitivity analysis.

RESULTS

Overall satisfaction was high, with 94.0% of respondents reporting satisfaction. The highest ratings were observed for nursing adherence to procedures (97.2%), safety and trust (96.8%), physician explanations (96.0%), and staff attitude and communication (95.2%). Lower ratings were reported for waiting time for tests/imaging (89.6%) and cost explanation clarity (91.2%). In the primary analysis, waiting time before physician assessment was the strongest predictor of overall satisfaction (β = 0.238), followed by treatment procedures (β = 0.188), hygiene and environment (β = 0.188), payment convenience (β = 0.172), and nursing adherence to procedures (β = 0.144). In the patient-only sensitivity analysis, nursing adherence to procedures showed the strongest association (β = 0.365), while the other key predictors remained broadly consistent.

CONCLUSIONS

Patient satisfaction was high in this university hospital ED. Waiting time before physician assessment, nursing adherence to procedures, treatment procedures, hygiene and environment, and payment convenience were associated with satisfaction; however, these relationships should be interpreted as associations rather than causal effects.