Abstract
Background: Patient satisfaction is a subjective metric, yet an important one used for evaluating
healthcare performance and identifying areas for improvement. Since the introduction of positron
emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) in South Africa in 2005, limited
information is available on patient satisfaction in PET/CT departments. Understanding patients’
experiences in this setting is essential to ensure the delivery of high-quality, patient-centred care.
Aim: This study assessed patients’ satisfaction with care when undergoing PET/CT
examinations.
Setting: The study was conducted at three selected academic public hospitals in the Gauteng
province of South Africa.
Methods: This study employed a quantitative, cross-sectional, descriptive research design to
collect data from 226 randomly selected respondents between March 2022 and September
2022. A structured, closed-ended, adapted questionnaire utilising a 5-point Likert scale was
used to collect data through telephone surveys.
Results: This study had a predominance of female respondents (62.4%) over male respondents
(37.6%). Overall, the study reported high satisfaction levels regarding staff’s professionalism
(92.5%), the privacy provided in the examination rooms (94.2%), the cleanliness of the examination
rooms (88.9%), reception areas (90.3%), and toilets (93.8%), while only 0.4% expressed no
satisfaction at all because their appointments were not kept at the scheduled times.
Conclusion: This study suggests that the majority of patients were satisfied with the level of
service and care they received during PET/CT examinations. However, there is a need to
improve patient appointment adherence for achieving better clinical outcomes.
Contribution: Positron emission tomography/computed tomography staff should advise
patients with appointment choices and provide service at the scheduled times.