PATIENTS ‘ SATISFACTION WITH LABORATORY SERVICES AT SELECTED MEDICAL-DIAGNOSTIC LABORATORIES IN VARNA

Aim: To establish the degree of patient satisfaction as factors of quality diagnostic laboratory activity. Materials and methods: Patients‘ satisfaction with laboratory service was studied by means of an anonymous inquiry of 150 patients from Varna during the February April 2013. Results and Discussion: The maximum patient satisfaction of laboratory studies indicates a high level of the diagnostic laboratories. The quality of the medical service and professionalism of the staff is the main reason for the patients’ preferences. These estimates have an increasing importance for the future of diagnostic laboratories in a developing market of an economy and health system based on the patient choice. Conclusion: Quality of the medical service and professionalism of the staff is the main motive for the preferences of patients, followed by good attitude and personal attention. The overall degree of patients’ satisfaction with the laboratory services was high.

Microbiology laboratories are an important part of health care organizations.
A component of effective health care services is the measurement of patient satisfaction.Patient satisfaction assists in the evaluation of health care services from the patients' point of view.It also facilitates the identification of problem areas and generates ideas for resolving these problems.Monitoring patients' satisfaction is an important and useful quality improvement tool for clinical laboratories in particular and health care organizations in general [1].Most clinical laboratories in the United States are required to assess their customers' satisfaction in order to maintain their accreditations [2].
Aim: To establish the degree of patient satisfaction as factors of quality diagnostic laboratory activity.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:
The study was conducted in three selected laboratories in Varna.They included Independent Medical Diagnostics Laboratory"Status" Varna, Medical Diagnostics Laboratory "Virulab" Varna, Independent Medical Diagnostics Laboratory "Laborexpres" Varna.Patientss atisfaction with laboratory service was studied by means of an anonymous inquiry of 150 patients during the February -April 2013

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION:
An anonymous inquiry was conducted, including 150 patients aged from eighteen to seventy-three years, 41% from whom men and 59 % women.They were distributed to age groups (Figure1).

Fig. 1. Distribution of respondents to age groups
Age group from 18 to 30 predominate in statistics followed by people aged 13-40 and those at the age of 41-50 (18%).The smaller group consists of those aged 51-60 (10%).According to inquire 's data, patients of all ages need to undergo laboratory tests.In the distribution of percentages they differ from 13% to 22%.
Laboratories provide quality of analyses by applying outside and inside quality control, which are part from the quality management system.
When analyzing the question "Are you satisfied with the research conducted in the laboratory?" the following results occur -most of the people (67%) respond affirmative.Those who shared that laboratory partly meets with their expectations are 18%.A small percent of all respondents are dissatisfied, which is expected provided working with different people.The data is presented on Figure 2. http://dx.doi.org/10.5272/jimab.2014202.500

Fig. 2. Personal satisfaction with accomplished service
The research into satisfaction of different people depends on the time the service took them.Almost all of the patients, visited three of the laboratories, are pleased with the time , which was devoted to them (72%).One third of the respondents are satisfied to some extend and those who are dissatisfied with insufficient time for service are 12 %.The degrees of satisfaction were not statistically different by age and educational level.This was similar to the findings conducted by Mekonnen A,et al. [1].
What was important to us was how had the patients chosen the laboratory .People who came by their own choice are 74% .Patients who follow their GP' s advice are 20%,which proves both patient's and doctor's complete trust in the laboratory.The smallest part (6%) are those referred by another laboratory (Figure 3).The study shows that most of the patients are satisfied with the service they 1.Mekonnen A, Teklemariam Z, Kedir H, Kabew G. Patient Satisfaction with Laboratory Services in Selected Government Hospitals, Eastern Ethiopia.Harar Bulletin of Health Address for correspondence: Emilia Georgieva Medical College of Varna, Medical 84,Tsar Osvoboditel Str.,9002 Varna, were offered in Independent Medical Diagnostics Laboratory"Status" Varna, Medical Diagnostics Laboratory "Virulab" Varna, Independent Medical Diagnostics Laboratory "Laborexpres" Varna and would like to have medical tests performed there when necessary.

CONCLUSION:
It was arrived at the conclusion that patients ' satisfaction with the work of diagnostic laboratories in which the study was conducted, is at high-level.The quality of medical service in Independent Medical Diagnostics Laboratory"Status" Varna, Medical Diagnostics Laboratory "Virulab" Varna, Independent Medical Diagnostics Laboratory "Laborexpres" Varna is of crucial importance for their preferences along with good attitude and personal attention.