Patient’s Satisfaction : Insight into Access to Service , Interpersonal Communication and Quality of Care Issues

Abstract

Objective: To assess patient satisfaction and expectations from the family medicine department at a newly established public sector hospital in Riyadh. Methodology: A cross sectional study. Pre tested, pre designed, well structured questionnaire written in English with Arabic translation was administered to randomly selected volunteer patients, who presented to family medicine clinics of a tertiary care hospital from February to March 2014. A total of 148 anonymously completed questionnaires were returned to the investigator. Data were analyzed using SPSS-21 and the results expressed as counts and percentages. Results: The overall level of patient satisfaction on a Likert scale from 1 to 5 was indicated by a mean score of 3.84 ± 1.27 for pre-consultation process and 4.63 ± 0.75 for process of consultation by family physicians. The highest satisfaction was with family physicians who clearly explained what is wrong before giving any treatment (4.72 mean points) and the lowest for availability of reading material in the waiting room (2.93 mean points). Conclusion: Consultation by family physicians followed by nursing services were highly satisfactory whereas the satisfaction score and written comments of some of the participants reflected a need to improve some infrastructure and administrative aspects.