title: [Managing the quality of attention in public hospitals' clinical laboratories in Maracaibo, Venezuela].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Evaluating how clinical laboratories' quality was being managed according to the view of external users, thereby determining the dimensions of quality related to their satisfaction and sociodemographic characteristics.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was descriptive; the sample consisted of 1,875 outpatients attending the laboratories of type 3 and 4 care level public hospitals located in the metropolitan area of Zulia State in Venezuela between October and December 2008. A previously validated survey was applied. Frequency allocation, multivariate analysis and variance analysis were used for analysing data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results showed that the most users were female (72.7 %), of local origin (87.9 %), aged between 15 and 45 (65.7 %) and had received primary and secondary education (70.5 %). Multivariate analysis showed that quality management could be evaluated in terms of accessibility, tangible elements, response ability, safety and professional competence. There were highly significant differences (p<0.001) between educational level and age when evaluating management quality. Weaknesses were revealed concerning time spent waiting in reception, waiting room comfort and safety measures used by technical staff.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results should lead to establishing action aimed at evaluating the degree of improvement in service and proposed targets for improving the quality of attention; such measures will form part of a quality assurance programme in accordance with international standards.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Química, Escuela de Bioanálisis, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad del Zulia, Venezuela. tmp1509@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Tania
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Molero
authors.forename: Amelia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Panunzio
authors.forename: Solbellys
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cruz
authors.forename: Milagros
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Núñez
authors.forename: Mariana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zambrano
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Parra
authors.forename: Jesús
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sánchez
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003258:Consumer Behavior / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003625:Data Collection; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006779:Hospitals, Public / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006786:Hospitals, Urban / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007755:Laboratories, Hospital / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010045:Outpatients / Q000523:psychology*; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D058996:Quality Improvement; D017751:Safety Management; D012494:Sampling Studies; D014687:Venezuela; D055815:Young Adult