Assessing Waiting Time in Emergency Department of Shahid Faghihi Hospital, Shiraz and Presenting Appropriate Strategies Using Quality Function Deployment (QFD) Method, 2011- 2012

Waiting time affects medical services quality and patients'' satisfaction. Quality Function Deployment (QFD) method is the most effective instruments for improving quality; and is used to assess customers'' needs and increase their satisfaction. We used the QFD method to identify strategies to reduce waiting times in the emergency department of faghihi hospital in Shiraz، 2012. The major steps of the study included determining the mean of the clients'' waiting time، identifying the customers'' needs and expectations through interviews (n=80)، identifying the service elements through interviews (n=15)، determining relationship between the patients'' expectations and the service elements، determining relationship between the service elements based on the house of quality analysis through QFD Designer software، designing the service quality model، and presenting strategies. The mean waiting time of the clients of the emergency department through 20 processes was 335±98 minutes. Through identifying 13 customers'' needs and expectations and 20 service elements، nine service elements were prioritized as the components of service quality model in three levels including: 1) physical space of physician''s room; 2) improvement of nursing services، hoteling facilities، inpatient room، and triage space; and 3) improvement of guide systems، providing welfare facilities for patients'' companions، and improving waiting room. Considering patients'' expectations، the quality model designed in the present study can be used as a comprehensive guide to improve quality of services provided by the emergency department. However، complexity of the model and time-consuming procedures are among the limitations of using the QFD method.