Survey on Impact of Operational Policies and Procedures on Patient Satisfaction at a Rural Free Healthcare Clinic in Florida

Aims  Free healthcare clinics provide highly necessary services for the populations they serve, particularly in rural, low socioeconomic areas. When assessing for quality of clinic performance, it is important to consider the background of the population it serves in addition to observations given by clinic volunteers. Contextualizing the healthcare challenges patients face will help the clinic assist them to a greater capacity. Here, we assess how different areas of clinic operations (service, safety, accessibility, interactions with volunteers, and wait time) impact patient satisfaction in the setting of a small, rural, free clinic. Methods Eligible participants were asked to fill out an anonymous, 21-question survey that assessed their experiences and perspectives on various aspects of the clinic. The study was single-blinded with clinic staff unaware of the nature of the study. Results Thirty-five patients responded to the survey. Overall, patients were extremely satisfied with the clinic with an average Likert score of 4.8/5; 14 of 15 categories scored a four or higher. Wait time scored lowest (3.6/5), with waits up to eight hours. Additionally, we found that transportation was not a major barrier to patients, with 80% arriving by personal transport. Conclusions The clinic provided valued and satisfactory services without coming across as discriminatory to the community. Areas of improvement include wait times, role clarification, and better integration of medical students. Additional studies to further understand the community will facilitate tailoring healthcare to a rural underserved population in the Southeastern United States.