Patient satisfaction with foodservice in private hospitals in South Africa

Abstract

In private healthcare services, patient satisfaction is of special importance to service providers, and the quality of food can influence a patient‟s satisfaction with the total hospital experience. The quality of foodservice is strongly associated with patient satisfaction in hospitals, and most hospital foodservice organisations are changing their focus to patient care in order to boost patient satisfaction. Also, hospital foodservice standards are important in gaining the market share edge in a highly competitive healthcare industry. This study investigates the level of satisfaction with foodservice amongst patients in private hospitals in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. A quantitative research approach was used for the study, and the data was collected by means of a survey questionnaire that was targeted at patients admitted to various wards at three private hospitals in KwaZulu-Natal. A total of 275 patients completed the survey. Overall, the study concluded that patients were generally satisfied with the foodservice in the private hospitals, especially with the food equipment and the food serving staff. However, reduced levels of satisfaction was noted with cultural considerations in menu choices and meal serving times. The study offers several recommendations to improve the quality of foodservice in hospitals