Customer satisfaction with clinical laboratory services provided by the Ethiopian health facilities: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract Background Medical laboratory helps health professionals and patients with disease diagnosis and treatment monitoring. While providing services, maintaining customer satisfaction is an essential determinant of the success and long-term survival of the facility. So far, several studies conducted in Ethiopia on the evaluation of laboratory customer satisfaction; however, the level of satisfaction was significantly differed from study to study. Therefore, this study aimed to provide an estimated pooled satisfaction level of clinical laboratory customers with laboratory services in Ethiopia. Methods Online electronic databases, including Science Direct, Medline, HINARI, TRIP database, and African Journals Online, were searched. The pooled estimate of laboratory service satisfaction was determined using the random-effects model due to the presence of considerable heterogeneity among studies. The possible sources of heterogeneity were analyzed using subgroup analysis, sensitivity analysis, and meta-regression. Results The analysis of 18 Full text articles showed that the level of clinical laboratory service satisfaction among Ethiopian laboratories ranged from 48–91%. The pooled estimate was 66% (95% CI: 59–73). Among the moderator variables, sample size (p = 0.34) and year of publication (p ≤ 0.01) of the included studies showed statistically significant associations with the level of service satisfaction. The sensitivity analysis declares no influence on the overall effect estimate while removing a single study from the analysis at a time. The statistical tests declare the absence of publication bias. Conclusions In Ethiopia, the pooled level clinical laboratory service satisfaction was low. The year of publication and sample size showed a statistically significant relationship with service satisfaction. Strengthening the scope of existing diagnostic services, implementing immediate corrective actions for the unsatisfied customers, and having a mechanism of continuous monitoring of laboratory activities should be implemented to assure adequate service quality. Generally, the study can provide a current estimate that could be valuable for policymakers.