Physician’s satisfaction with clinical laboratory services of District Headquarter hospitals of Azad Jammu & Kashmir

Introduction: For proper patient management, clinical services and physician decisions are heavily reliant on laboratory test results. As a result, physician satisfaction with laboratory services is a critical indicator of service quality, emphasizing the importance of improving laboratory services to benefit patients. Objectives:  To determine physician satisfaction and factors affecting physician satisfaction with laboratory services in Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJK). Methodology: Data were collected in all the seven DHQs of AJK over three months.  Data was collected through a structured questionnaire from (N=202) physicians using a non-probability convenient sampling technique. Chi-Square tests were used to determine the factors which showed a statistically significant relationship with outcome. Results: A total (N=202) of respondents included in the study with an overall mean score of physician’s satisfaction with clinical lab services was 38 ± 9.6 ranging from a minimum score of satisfaction 22 to a maximum of 56. A statistically significant association was found between the age of the Physicians, area of residence, and their level of education with a satisfaction level of lab services with the p-value= 0.013, 0.013, and 0.001respectively. Conclusion: It is concluded that physician satisfaction with laboratory services in public hospitals of AJK was very low, more than 50% of the patients showed dissatisfaction with the services. The main factors which affect the overall satisfaction of physicians with laboratory services were the absence of the assistance handbook, laboratory request form, and turnover time of the reports.