Periodic patient satisfaction surveys provide feedback to hospital management and staff regarding
the quality of services rendered. These surveys have become routine as part of total quality management in
developed countries. We assessed patient satisfaction with services provided in a teaching hospital in northern
Nigeria.Structured questionnaires were administered on a cross-section of 201 patients and two focus group
discussions were held with patient relatives atAminu Kano Teaching Hospital.Overall, 83% of the patients were satisfied with the services received from Aminu Kano Teaching
Hospital, while the remaining 17% were dissatisfied. Specifically, 88%, 88%, 87% and 84% of the patients
were satisfied with patient provider relationship, in-patient services, hospital facilities and access to care.
However, 30% and 27% of the patients were dissatisfied with waiting time and cost of treatment respectively.
Patients and their relatives complained about delayed appointments, missing folders, missing laboratory
results and long appointments for ultrasound and other radiological investigations.The high patient satisfaction notwithstanding, health workers need to consider patients as
customers by being friendly and reducing waiting time for consultation and investigations. Widespread
implementation of the National Health Insurance Scheme will also reduce the cost of services and drugs to
patients.