FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH PATIENT's CARE DURING CONSULTATION IN MINISTRY OF HEALTH FACILITIES, JEDDAH CITY, SAUDI ARABIA

OBJECTIVE: To assess the factors affecting health care and patient's satisfaction during the consultation. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study was conducted using a structured questionnaire form on a random sample of outpatient clinic attendants. SETTING: The Outpatient Department clinics at King Fahad and King Abdulaziz Hospital in addition to eleven Primary Health Care Centers (PHCCs) in Jeddah. SUBJECTS: A sample of 340 subjects attending clinics of two hospitals and eleven PHCCs. METHODS: Direct interviewing of subjects using a structured questionnaire was carried out. Information collected was basic demographic data regarding satisfaction with aspects of outpatient health care. RESULTS: The rate of patients’ satisfaction in all facilities was 76.5% with no significant variation between hospitals and Primary Health Care Centers. The study showed aspects of poor patient care, such as short consultation time and incomplete physical examination of patients. Other factors correlated with mean consultation time and completeness of physical examination were stressed. CONCLUSION: There was a low rate of patients’ satisfaction in all Ministry of Health (MOH) facilities studied. Aspects related to patient care need to be improved. Practical recommendations on this were stressed