A Cross-Sectional Latent Class Analysis of 3 Distinct Satisfaction Subgroups Among Non-Local Patients in VIP...

To meet the personalized needs of patients, VIP (Very Important Person) outpatient clinics, operating as a private practice, are an important option for non-local patients who often lack familiarity with medical procedures and seek efficient care within a limited timeframe. This study aimed to address 2 core questions: what are the distinct satisfaction classes among non-local patients, and what factors determine membership in these patterns? Accordingly, it sought to identify these latent subgroups and analyze their determinants. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 1961 non-local patients who attended the VIP outpatient clinic at a tertiary hospital between June and July 2025. Quantitative data were collected using a 5-point Likert scale designed to measure patient satisfaction. Based on the Structure-Process-Outcome (SPO) Model, latent class analysis (LCA) was performed to identify distinct satisfaction subgroups, and chi-square tests and multiple logistic regression were applied. Three latent classes were identified based on Mplus 8.4: high satisfaction (69.4%), high medical care, low environmental service (19.8%), and low medical professionalism-high non-technical quality (10.8%). 47.4% patients aged 0 to 44, and the majority of participants (71.3%) communicated with the doctor no more than 20 min. Multiple logistic regression indicated that age, length of communication with the doctor, waiting time before consultation, and whether the check up in the clinical laboratory or endoscopy center were the main associated factors (all P < .05). For different patient groups, these data suggest that tools, the psychological needs of younger patients, and training doctors in efficient communication techniques may improve patient acceptance of health care. Additionally, optimizing the environment in auxiliary examination departments to better accommodate nonclinical needs is recommended.