OUTPATIENT WAITING TIME: WHAT ARE THE FACTORS THAT AFFECT IT? (STUDY AT MUHAMMADIYAH BABAT GENERAL HOSPITAL)

Abstract

Outpatient waiting time refers to the duration from when patients register at the registration desk until they are called for a medical examination by a doctor at the target clinic. The standard waiting time is set at ≤ 60 minutes. Observations at Muhammadiyah General Hospital Babat revealed that 10 respondents experienced waiting times exceeding 60 minutes. This study aims to identify the factors affecting outpatient waiting time. Utilizing a quantitative approach, the research sampled 96 respondents through simple random sampling. The independent variables included examination duration, service timeliness, and facilities and infrastructure, while the dependent variable was outpatient waiting time. Research instruments consisted of direct observation for measuring examination duration and waiting time, as well as questionnaires to assess service timeliness and the adequacy of facilities and infrastructure. The results, analyzed through multiple linear regression with T-test and F-test (α=0.05), demonstrated that the examination duration was not significant (p-value = 0.308), while both the service timeliness (p-value = 0.000) and facilities and infrastructure (p-value = 0.000) were significant. The F-test indicated a significant combined effect of the independent variables on outpatient waiting time (p-value = 0.000) with a determination coefficient of 57.5%. The study suggests improvements in service timeliness by ensuring punctuality among registration staff and healthcare providers, including doctors. Furthermore, enhancements in facilities and infrastructure, such as increasing the number of outpatient registration counters, are recommended.