Patient Satisfaction Survey in a Teaching Hospital in Saudi Arabia: Preliminary Results

BACKGROUND: Patient satisfaction is a useful indicator of the quality of health care, but there is no one universally acceptable tool for measuring it. In Saudi Arabia, such studies are, few. SETTING: In-patients in a teaching hospital. METHODOLOGY: Opinions of hospital in-patients were sampled by means of a self-administered questionnaire over a period of 12 consecutive months. Fright areas were evaluated: professional services from medical, nursing anal admission staff, and four amenities, i.e. room and linen, meals, and provision for telephone and television. RESULTS: A total of 1,319 patients were surveyed, forming 7.9% of the 17,536 admissions. Patients were satisfied with professional services from medical staff. However, they were dissatisfied with silence in wards during day, taste, temperature and variety of meals, as well as provisions for telephone and television. Remedial actions had been taken. CONCLUSIONS: We concluded that the results indicated areas of patients’ dissatisfaction in our hospital, and that such surveys are unique to the hospital involved. We recommend the method used here: it is easy to use, cost-effective, and beneficial to patients.