FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH THE ASSESSMENT ON HEALTH CARE QUALITY AT COMMUNE HEALTH CENTERS IN THUA THIEN HUE PROVINCE

Abstract

Background: Patient satisfaction is an important indicator of healthcare quality. Better satisfaction is associated with greater adherence to treatment and better health outcomes. Primary care is considered the basic structure of many healthcare systems. Evaluation of healthcare provision is essential in the ongoing assessment and consequent quality improvement of healthcare services. Objective: To describe and analyze the determinants associated with patient assessment and satisfaction in primary care. Methods: The survey was conducted with 519 households and 209 patients at 18 commune health centers. The questionnaire included sociodemographic variables, health status, and use and satisfaction with primary care services. We undertook descriptive analyses, bivariate correlations to study the relationship between levels of satisfaction and the explanatory variables for demographics, health status and health services for households and patients. Results: The majority of households and patients were satisfied with the health care services at primary health care facilities. Satisfaction of waiting time, communication and counseling by healthcare providers was high. We found significant associations between the level of satisfaction and owning health insurance card, the first contact point assigned at CHCs, the severity of illness episodes, and health condition of participants. Conclusions: The results provide evidence on factors that should be taken into account in the planning and development of health policies with respect to the quality and delivery of primary care services in order to enhancing the satisfaction of clients. Key words: consumer satisfaction, patient satisfaction, primary care, quality indicators