Introduction: The purpose of this study was to determine the reasons of the queues, which patients meet in clinic and to determine the spent time of patients in different places of clinic. We wanted to figure out the opinion of patients about the work of the personnel, to find the ways of reducing the queues in the clinic.
Methods: Study was done in November 2000-January 2001. Total or 1000 questionnaires were given to every third visitor over the age of 16. After return of 67.8% of questionnaires, 222 new questionnaires were sent to people, who didn't answer the first time. The overall response rate was 77.8%; 40 questionnaires were inapplicable for study, therefore a sample of 738 respondents was studied. Statistic data analysis was made using SPSS for Windows. The differences between respective indexes were assumed as statistically significant, then the mistake probability was p < or = 0.05.
Results: The aim of our study--to determine the time spent in different places of clinic, and to figure out patient's opinion about work of the personnel. In registry office every patient spent on average 16 minutes. Every patient spends on average 30 minutes waiting to doctor. Consultations via telephone different groups of respondents evaluated differently: the older the patient, the worse his attitude towards consultation. Besides the fact, that 40% of elderly respondents are benevolent to consultations by the telephone, they assume, that they wouldn't use such kind of service. Waiting time for procedures, is on average 17 minutes. In all cases we can say, that the more patients face the queues, the more they think, that those queues should not exist. But the majority of respondents meet the queues very rarely, and most of them think, that the queues are imperative, or at least short waiting is inevitable.