ABSTRACT
To study emergency services delivery in all 30 primary health care centres in Abha district of Asir region, Saudi Arabia, data were collected about equipment and facilities, physicians' practices and attitudes, and patients' utilization of and satisfaction with emergency services. Two centres had no devoted place for emergency services. Lack of some essential equipment and drugs was evident. The greatest continuing medical education need for doctors was the management of cardiovascular emergencies [72.3%]. Many doctors [40.4%] did not consider the majority of cases as true emergencies. Many patients [43.7%] used the centres for emergency services, the most common being trauma, burns and orthopaedics [47.8%]. Most patients were satisfied overall with emergency services [82.2%]
Subject(s)
Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Female , Humans , Male , Primary Health Care , Attitude of Health Personnel , Patient Satisfaction , Physicians, Family , Surveys and Questionnaires , Health Care SurveysABSTRACT
Use of primary health care [PHC] services and satisfaction among elderly people [60 + years] in Asir was studied in 26 PHC centers. They visited PHC centers significantly less often than younger adults but they were referred significantly more often to secondary and tertiary care and for more laboratory tests. A r and om sample of 253 elderly people attending the centers was interviewed about accessibility, continuity, humaneness, informativeness and thoroughness of care. Overall, 79.0% were satisfied with the services provided. The leading 3 items of dissatisfaction were: not enough audiovisual means for health education [65.1%], long time spent in the centre [46.4%], and not enough specialty clinics [42.5%]