The Effect of Quality of Health Care in Saudi Arabian Perception to Patient Satisfaction in Makkah in 2018

Abstract

Background: Access to healthcare in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) has improved dramatically over the past three decades. This improvement in access has brought challenges for healthcare organizations, their staff and other stakeholders, highlighting a need to improve the quality of healthcare. These challenges include: increasing demand for healthcare services coupled with a rise in costs, changing patterns of disease, shortage of healthcare professionals, a significant annual pilgrim population, a rise in medical errors and long waiting times. A key policy being implemented as a part of the development plan in KSA of the Saudi Vision (2030), with regard to health services, is the need to adopt methods to improve quality of care, and to apply these methods across all health sectors to ensure that appropriate levels of efficiency and quality are achieved. Indeed, measurement of patient satisfaction is central to identifying areas for improvement and thus achieving optimal delivery of healthcare services. In addition to patient satisfaction, it is important to consider access to healthcare as a fundamental quality of care indicator. Aim of the study: This study aims to assess the effect of service quality of health care in Saudi Arabian on patient satisfaction with respect to primary health care services in Makkah in 2018. Method: cross-sectional study to determine the relationship between quality of health care system on the quality of services providing in primary healthcare center and the satisfaction of Saudi patient .The study was conducted at primary healthcare centers in the Saudi and more specifically in Makkah. Total of 200 eligible patients participated in this study. Results: factors entered the regression model of total attitude were: Socio demographic variables (Age, gender, occupation, education, marital status, family income) and total satisfaction level And 6 out of 7 factors had predicted total attitude of the: (Age, gender, occupation, education, marital status, family income).The 6 factors together explained 12.5% of the variation of the total attitude score of the studied patients towards primary health care services. Female, single, being older, low educational level and students, low family Income had higher total attitude score. Conclusion. This review exemplifies the need for further improvement in the quality of healthcare in primary health care in KSA and patient satisfaction was influenced by health service quality. Many of the problems identified in this review could be addressed by establishing an independent body in KSA, which could monitor healthcare services and push for improvements in efficiency and quality of care.