Waiting Time of Outpatient Laboratory Service for Health Insurance Patients at Pertamina Central Hospital, Jakarta

Tiara Bunga Melati Jelita, Pujiyanto

Faculty of Public Health, Universitas Indonesia

ABSTRACT

Background: Quality can be defined as the ability of a product or service to satisfy the needs and expectations of the customer. Patient desire a rapid, reliable and efficient laboratory service. One of the challenging issues of the outpatient laboratory services at most hospitals is that patients have a long wait. This study aimed to investigate the waiting time of outpatient laboratory service for health insurance patients at Pertamina Central Hospital, Jakarta.

Subjects and Method: This was a qualitative study carried out at Pertamina Central Hospital, Jakarta. A sample of several informants was selected for this study consisting of laboratorium staff. The dependent variable was waiting time. The independent variable was service for health insurance patients. The data were collected by in-depth interview, direct observation, and document review.

Results: Waiting time of outpatient laboratory service was caused by several factors including: (1) waiting for the guarantor’s confirmation (97 to 98%), (2) payment process at the cashier (0.9 to 1%), and (3) difficulty persuading pediatric patient (0.3 to 0.8%). The duration of the guarantor’s confirmation often occurs because of the difficulty of communicating with the insurance company and also the laboratory officer has not been able to confirm with the insurance company.

Conclusion: The waiting time for laboratory service for health insurance out-patients exceed the maximum allowable time cap, which is 20 minutes. The correct waiting time target of 100% has not been achieved.

Keywords: waiting time, laboratory service, health insurance, out-patients

Correspondence: Tiara Bunga Melati Jelita. Faculty of Public Health, Universitas Indonesia. Email: bungatarmizi58@gmail.com. Mobile: 08129600508.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.26911/theicph.2019.04.49

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