Satisfaction of Users of the Central Laboratory of the Faculty of Public Health, Khon Kaen Unive

Abstract

The Faculty of Public Health established a central laboratory to provide services for teaching,
academic services and research. To assess the performance of he central laboratory services, clients’
satisfaction was investigated in the field of giving service and teaching. Clients and students were interrogated
by using questionnaires. Data were analyzed and presented as percentage, mean and standard deviation.
Of the 27 clients who participated in the study 70.4% were highly satisfied with an average score of
3.93 and standard deviation of 0.550. Satisfaction related to four aspects that had been convenience in using
the service and coordination of the work, staff performance, quality of services and costs. Satisfaction was high
for all of the items mentioned. The highest score had been attributed how the laboratory met the needs of the
clients and how information was provided. However, as far as distribution of information and how the results of
laboratory analysis of samples were made known got only medium satisfaction scores. From the 97 students
being asked 53.6% were highly satisfied with an average score of 3.63 and standard deviation of 0.601.
Students were highly satisfied with the performance of the staff that were considered to be polite and had a
good relationship with the students. The quality of services generally was mentioned to be very satisfying
whereas the availability of equipment, age of equipment and instruction to use the equipment were ranked only
with moderate satisfaction score.
Clients should be better informed about the procedures of running the equipment and the best way of
collecting specimens. The equipment should be modernized and being up to date in order to suit teaching
better than before and up-to-date equipments in relation to teaching topics should be provided. As far as
lecturers were concerned, staff performance gained a high satisfaction score whereas half of the lecturers
were only moderately satisfied with the quality of services. In general the satisfaction of lecturers with the
central laboratory got only a medium score. It is recommended that outsiders should be better informed about
the usefulness of the services provided, and of the required condition of the specimens sent in for analyzing.
Students should be provided with adequate and modern equipment according to their needs as laid down in
the curriculum of their studies.