Patients satisfaction with consultation at primary health care centers in Abha City, Saudi Arabia

Kamel

2020

Preprint

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has resulted in the widespread implementation of teleconsultation. Teleconsultation provides remote communication and reduces the risk of virus transmission. However, patients’ perceptions and satisfaction are relevant to ensuring the quality of the service. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate patients’ perceptions and satisfaction regarding teleconsultations during the COVID-19 pandemic in Jeddah.Methods: This was a cross-sectional study using an electronic questionnaire to assess patients’ perceptions and satisfaction regarding teleconsultations during May 2020. A total of 407 participants were included.Results: Most (38.6%) participants were aged 40 to 59 years, women (73.2%), and had a university education (70.8%). Patients’ perceptions of the effectiveness of teleconsultation ranged from 71.43% to 88.77% and their satisfaction level ranged between 59.40% and 83.96%. Older patients who had favorable outcomes from teleconsultation strongly agreed about the effectiveness of teleconsultation and were more satisfied. Patients with higher education levels who used the service only once were more satisfied with the experience. Moreover, those patients with greater age and educational levels and those who called for emergencies and to request medication refills were more likely to use teleconsultation in the future beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. When asked about reasons for dissatisfaction, 70% of the participants were unhappy with the wait time for a teleconsultation.Conclusions: Most patients were satisfied with the teleconsultations during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, a better understanding of patients’ perceptions and reasons for dissatisfaction are fundamental in the planning and implementation of teleconsultations in Saudi Arabia.

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 99%

Patients’ Perceptions and Satisfaction Regarding Teleconsultations During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Kamel

2020

Preprint

J Prim Care Community Health

“…Such associations were observed in other Saudi PHCs. 6,7 Interestingly, neither the monthly income nor the number of family members were associated with the overall satisfaction score. A possible contributing factor to this may that PHC services in Saudi Arabia are delivered free of charge and are entirely covered by the government.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 96%

“…Such associations were observed in other Saudi PHCs. 6 , 7 …”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Perceived Barriers to Primary Care Services Utilization and its Associations with Overall Satisfaction of Patients in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Questionnaire-Based Study

AlOmar

AlShamlan

AlAmer

et al. 2021

Introduction: Primary care plays an integral role in modern healthcare systems. More so in a country that is currently undergoing a reform of its health system. Their remains barriers that hinder patients from seeking medical assistance from primary physicians. This study aims to examine the overall satisfaction of patients toward Primary Healthcare Centers (PHCs) in Saudi Arabia, as well as its association with potential barriers from a sample of patients who presented at the emergency department (ED) for non-urgent cases. Methods: This cross-sectional study sampled 403 patients from King Fahd Hospital of the University. A piloted questionnaire was utilized that included questions on sociodemographics, satisfaction of PHCs, as well as organizational, socioeconomic, access, and patient-doctor relationship barriers using a Likert-scale item response. Chi-squared and Fisher’s Exact tests were used to compare categorical variables, and multivariable logistic regression was used to assess the association between overall satisfaction and all factors and barriers. Results: The sample consisted of 48.1% males and 51.9% females. Only 5.2% of the patients were hospitalized. Of the total sample, 28.3% reported being always satisfied with PHC services. The most reported barriers were organizational barriers and socioeconomic barriers. The regression analysis found that being a female, highly educated, have high organizational, and patient-doctor relationship were independent predictors for low overall satisfaction with PHCs. Conclusion: Findings from this study should allow healthcare planners and policy makers to reduce the impact of these barriers by finding solutions that would target them. This may include strictly implementing policies such as proper implementing of triaging in EDs as well as promoting services that are being provided free of charge at these centers.

“…While the index patient denied he had travelled to Saudi Arabia, many citizens of South Korea were more open about their condition and travel during subsequent contact tracing and had a good relationship with the health care professionals in their community [56]. This is due to better universal health coverage, and flexibility to choose health care professionals compared to Saudi Arabia, where the government has more restrictions and involvement in healthcare decisions [56,57]. From the beginning of the outbreak, South Korean patients who were MERS-positive sought and embraced medical attention much faster than did Saudi Arabian patients [58].…”

Section: Aspect 1 -Public Information and Quarantine/isolation Practicesmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Comparative Analysis of Factors Influencing Two Outbreaks of Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) in Saudi Arabia and South Korea

Willman

Kobasa

Kindrachuk

2019

Viruses

In 2012, an emerging viral infection was identified in Saudi Arabia that subsequently spread to 27 additional countries globally, though cases may have occurred elsewhere. The virus was ultimately named Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV), and has been endemic in Saudi Arabia since 2012. As of September 2019, 2468 laboratory-confirmed cases with 851 associated deaths have occurred with a case fatality rate of 34.4%, according to the World Health Organization. An imported case of MERS occurred in South Korea in 2015, stimulating a multi-month outbreak. Several distinguishing factors emerge upon epidemiological and sociological analysis of the two outbreaks including public awareness of the MERS outbreak, and transmission and synchronization of governing healthcare bodies. South Korea implemented a stringent healthcare model that protected patients and healthcare workers alike through prevention and high levels of public information. In addition, many details about MERS-CoV virology, transmission, pathological progression, and even the reservoir, remain unknown. This paper aims to delineate the key differences between the two regional outbreaks from both a healthcare and personal perspective including differing hospital practices, information and public knowledge, cultural practices, and reservoirs, among others. Further details about differing emergency outbreak responses, public information, and guidelines put in place to protect hospitals and citizens could improve the outcome of future MERS outbreaks.