Patient Satisfaction Levels and Determinants among Inpatients in Tertiary Hospitals in Hayatabad, Peshawar

Quality of healthcare is assessed by patient satisfaction, which is a very important factor. There has been very little research on the reasons for inpatient satisfaction referring to tertiary healthcare centers in Peshawar, Pakistan. Objectives: To find out the factors and levels of inpatient satisfaction in tertiary healthcare setups in Hayatabad, Peshawar. Methods: A cross-sectional comparative study was done in Hayatabad, Peshawar, from March to August 2025. Three public hospitals and three private hospitals were selected for this purpose. A convenience sample of 664 adults was collected through the proportionate method of sampling. Data analysis was performed with SPSS version 25.0. Results: Overall, patient satisfaction was low – only approximately 13.9% of patients reported being satisfied. Patients who received services in private hospitals had a higher satisfaction level (16.9%) compared to patients who were treated in public hospitals (12.0%) (p=0.05). Patient satisfaction also had a positive relationship with socioeconomic status, with a higher number of middle-class patients being satisfied (30.4%) (p=0.001). Patients’ ratings for cleanliness in private hospitals were higher (p=0.045). Education, occupation, and place of residence were significant indicators of patients’ ratings of quality, efficiency, and cost (p<0.05). Conclusions: Patient satisfaction levels among tertiary hospitals in Hayatabad, Peshawar is low; therefore, these centers need to improve affordability, cleanliness, and the efficiency of service delivery for patient satisfaction and patient-centered services.