The Effect of Pre-Operative Education, Healthcare Provider Communication, and Waiting Time on Patients’ Perceived Quality of Cataract Surgery Services

This study examines the quality of cataract surgery determined not only by clinical outcomes but also by patients’ experiences throughout the care process. Preoperative education, healthcare provider communication, and waiting time are important process components that may shape patients’ perceived quality. This study aimed to analyze the effect of preoperative education, healthcare provider communication, and waiting time on patients’ perceived quality of cataract surgery services at Royal Prima Hospital Jambi, Indonesia. This quantitative analytic study used a cross-sectional design and involved 33 postoperative cataract patients. The questionnaire used a four-point Likert scale. Instrument testing was conducted among 30 postoperative cataract patients at Arafah Islamic Hospital Jambi, Indonesia. Validity was assessed using Corrected Item-Total Correlation (CITC >0.30), while reliability was assessed using Cronbach’s Alpha (>0.70). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Shapiro-Wilk testing, Spearman Rank correlation, and multiple linear regression. Preoperative education was strongly correlated with perceived quality (r=0.701; p<0.001), healthcare provider communication showed a moderate positive correlation (r=0.449; p=0.009), and waiting time showed a strong positive correlation (r=0.651; p<0.001). In multiple regression, preoperative education had a significant effect (B=0.282; β=0.427; p=0.008), whereas communication (p=0.155) and waiting time (p=0.111) were not statistically significant. Simultaneously, the three variables significantly affected perceived quality (F=18.845; p<0.001) and explained 66.1% of its variance (R²=0.661). Preoperative education contributed the most among the three variables studied. As a result, hospitals should strengthen standardized preoperative education, audiovisual educational media, effective communication, and transparent scheduling information to improve patients’ experiences and perceived quality.