• Milan Chandra Khanal, Lochan Karki, Badri Rijal, Pramod Joshi, Navindra Raj Bista, Bikash Nepal, Krishna Rana, and Prabesh Lamichhane.
• Shepherd College, New Baneshwor, Kathmandu, Nepal.
• JNMA J Nepal Med Assoc. 2021 Apr 30; 59 (236): 317-321.

IntroductionCommunication is an important aspect of the medical profession. Doctor-patient communication plays a significant role in health care delivery. This study aims to find outpatient department patient satisfaction in doctor-patient communication in a tertiary care hospital in Kathmandu, Nepal.MethodsA descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in the outpatient department of a tertiary care hospital in Kathmandu, Nepal in the month of August 2019. Validated questionnaire of Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire, consisting of 80 items, originally developed by Willis H. Ware and his colleagues were used and distributed to the patient in the outpatient department of the hospital. Their satisfaction level for doctor-patient communication was assessed on a five-point scale. The questionnaire was distributed randomly to the patient attending the hospital outpatient department during one month period.ResultsOut of the total participants, 420 (96%) at 95% CI (95.07±96.93) respondents reported that they were satisfied regarding communication with their doctors. Among the patients, 109 (24.0%) visited the department of medicine followed by obstetrics and gynaecology 85 (19.4%).ConclusionsThe majority of participants were found to be satisfied with the doctor-patient communication. While this study has shown that the communication in the doctor-patient relationship was seen to be satisfactory, this might not show the generalized picture of the country. We should also think of ways to further improve the communication in our hospitals.

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