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Abstract
Aim This study aimed to (i) assess the level of patient satisfaction and its association with different sociodemographic and healthcare characteristics in an emergency care centre (ECC) in Saudi Arabia and (ii) to identify the predictors of patients' satisfaction.
Methods A prospective cohort study of 390 adult patients with Canadian triage category III and IV who visited ECC at King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, between 1 July and end of September 2011 was conducted. All patients were followed up from the time of arrival at the front desk of ECC until being seen by a doctor, and were then interviewed. Patient satisfaction was measured using a previously validated interview-questionnaire, within two domains: clarity of medical information and relationship with staff. Patient perception of health status after as compared with before the visit, and overall life satisfaction were also measured. Data on patient characteristics and healthcare characteristics were collected. Multiple linear regression analysis was used, and significance was considered at p≤0.05.
Results One-third (32.8%) of patients showed high level of overall satisfaction and 26.7% were unsatisfied, with percentage mean score of 70.36% (17.40), reflecting moderate satisfaction. After adjusting for all potential confounders, lower satisfaction with the ED visit was significantly associated with male gender (p<0.001), long waiting time (p=0.032) and low perceived health status compared with status at admission (p<0.001). Overall life satisfaction was not a significant predictor of patient satisfaction.
Conclusions An appreciation of waiting time as the only significant modifiable risk factor of patient satisfaction is essential to improve the healthcare services, especially at emergency settings.
- emergency care systems
- emergency department management
- patient support
- triage
- quality
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Abstract in Arabic
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- Abstract in Arabic - Online abstract
Footnotes
This work was presented at the 3rd Research Summer School programme of KAIMRC.
Correction notice Since this paper was first published online changes have been made to tables 1 and 2. In table 1, the characteristic 5000 SR or more for females has changed from 13 (876.7) to 138 (76.7). Under the male eligible category the number has changed to 169 (80.5). Under the education level category, a * has been added to the p-value. In table 2 the overall male unsatisfied percentage has changed from (37.6) to (37.7). In the second key message the text has been updated to read ‘in the two patient's satisfaction domains..’.
Contributors All authors contributed to the design and execution of the study and analyses. MAA and RAH were actively involved in writing the manuscript. RTA, MHA-A and ZMA collected the data and shared data analysis and interpretation. ASA and RAH commented on drafts presented to them. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
Competing interests None declared.
Ethics approval IRB of the Ministry of Saudi National Guard Health Affairs.
Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.