Assessment of Patient Waiting Time in Primary Health Care Settings in Rwanda: A Mixed-Method Study

Patient waiting time as an important indicator of quality of services has been a long-standing concern in health care.

The aim of this study was to assess patient waiting time in primary health care settings in Rwanda.

This was a mixed-method study design. In quantitative phase, Patient Flow Time Log was used to track the time patients spent waiting for the service. On exit, a structured questionnaire was administered. Observations were conducted to capture information regarding the flow and processes. In qualitative part, six focus group discussions with patients were conducted. Semi-structured interviews with healthcare providers were held.

Among 410 participants, the majority were females (77.1%). The overall health centre level waiting time was 211 minutes (3.5 hours). To receive a service, patients waited an average of 81.5 minutes (1.4 hours). Three conceptual themes were identified: a) reported sections to have long wait time; b) causes of long waiting time; and c) needs for activities to spend time on as patients wait.

Most patients experienced prolonged waiting times during their visit to the primary health care settings, and the major factors were the huge number of patients, few healthcare providers, and lack of medical equipment. To effectively address these challenges, more resources and personnel must be allocated to primary healthcare settings to help foster a higher level of client satisfaction with minimal primary healthcare waiting time.