Patient satisfaction with primary health care services in Bahrain

ABSTRACT

The Study was conducted using a cross - sectional survey An Arabic questionnaire used conducted for Bahraini patients attending East Riffa Health centre, in order to assess The patients satisfaction with the health services over a period of two weeks [1 st to 14 th September 2001]. During the study 200 patients were interviewed- Questionnaires were collected and analyzed. However the total [49%] were satisfied about primary health care services, [41.5%] of patients were borderline in their satisfaction, and [9.5%] of them were not satisfied. The reasons of patients' dissatisfaction were lack of communication skills by the receptionist [29.5%], long waiting time [35%], short consultation time [42%], poor physician greeting [16%], poor physician examination [34.5%], poor physician explanation [31.5%], poor physician management [29%], and Inadequate drug supply in the pharmacy [41.5%]. Patients suggested improving communication skills of primary health care team [27.5%], to reduce waiting time [31%], to increase consultation time [38%], to improve physician training [15.5%], and to improve quality and quantity of drug supply to the pharmacy [39%]. Consumer's expectation has to be taken in consideration when planning and adopting health care policy