Satisfaction and correlates of patients' satisfaction with physicians' services in primary health care centers
Saeed, A.A.; Mohammed, B.A.; Magzoub, M.E.; Al-Doghaither, A.H.
Saudi Medical Journal 22(3): 262-267
2001
ISSN/ISBN: 0379-5284 PMID: 11307115 Document Number: 527884
Objective: To estimate quantitatively consumers' satisfaction and correlates of satisfaction with physicians' services provided by the Ministry of Health primary health care centres in attending consumers. Methods: Consumers (n=540) attending the selected primary health care centres in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia were asked about their satisfaction with physician's services. Eight primary health care centres were randomly selected according to the geographical location, two from each geographical zone. 75 subjects were selected systematically where every tenth Saudi aged >=15 years who visited the selected primary health care centres during the study period was chosen. Data was collected via a self administered pilot tested, internally consistent patient satisfaction questionnaire which included sociodemographic characteristics as well as the overall and differential satisfaction with the different aspects of physicians' services in the selected primary health care centres rated in a scale of 1-5 points, the higher the score the higher the satisfaction. Results: Males constituted 60%, and 58% of all patients were married, >60% were employees and >70% had a monthly income of <6000 Saudi Riyals. Almost 95% had an open file in the primary health care centre and 39% think that the distance to the primary health care centre was far or very far. The summary satisfaction score was 3.77 points and the mean satisfaction with the services provided by physicians was 2.56 points out of a maximum of 5 points. The highest satisfaction was for discussing psychological aspects of patients' problems (2.96 points), and the lowest was for attentive listening to patients' complaints (2.22 points). Physicians' communication skills were more satisfactory to patients than their professional skills, and satisfying patients' wishes scored the lowest satisfaction. Unskilled labourers, literate patients and patients with higher income showed significantly higher mean satisfaction while students, illiterates, those aged <50 years and patients with income <6000 Riyals/month scored the lowest satisfaction. The longer the distance travelled the lower the satisfaction scores but having a file or not was not related to satisfaction. Conclusion: Some physicians' service items need corrective intervention, and students and young patients appear to need more attention.