Patients get excellent care at primary healthcare centers (PHC). Patient satisfaction with PHC services is used to assess healthcare quality. This review of the literature examines PHC patients’ satisfaction with personnel, electronic, and general services, as well as the variables that influence their satisfaction. Patients’ satisfaction with PHC is influenced by the quality of healthcare services. Patients who get high-quality care are happy. The attitudes of healthcare workers, waiting times, accessibility, cost, and facility cleanliness all have an impact on patients’ pleasure. Manpower services also have an impact on PHC patient satisfaction. Patients appreciate caring, polite, and attentive healthcare providers. Patients prefer healthcare workers that are well-trained and knowledgeable.
Patient Satisfaction Influencing FactorsGender, age, marital status, education, and work position may all have an impact on PHC patient satisfaction. Hemadeh et al. (2019) discovered no gender differences in primary healthcare patient satisfaction in Lebanon. Albahrani et al. (2022) discovered that female primary care patients in Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia, were happier. Wali et al. (2020) discovered that electronic medical records were preferred by older Western Region Saudi Arabian patients. According to Almezaal et al. (2021), older people in Riyadh’s second health cluster were more satisfied with primary care. During the COVID-19 epidemic in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Alharbi et al. (2021) discovered no significant relationship between age and virtual clinic patient satisfaction.PHC patient satisfaction has been researched in connection to demographics. Salgado et al. (2020) observed that gender, age, and educational level all had a significant impact on community pharmacy service satisfaction. Beks et al. (2020) emphasized the need of recognizing the cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds of Indigenous people while developing mobile PHC clinics. According to Kendall et al. (2020), stigma, discrimination, and marginalization restrict drug users from seeking PHC services. These findings show that demographic factors have a role in PHC patient satisfaction.
Patients’ Satisfaction with PHC Manpower ServicesPatients’ satisfaction with PHC personnel, including doctors, nurses, receptionists, and management, also influences healthcare quality. Patients’ satisfaction with practitioners’ communication skills, efficiency, number and duration of consultations, and patient contacts are all key considerations. According to Almezaal et al. (2021), people in Riyadh’s second health cluster were satisfied with the availability and accessibility of primary healthcare professionals. Alharbi et al. (2021) observed that patients were dissatisfied with virtual consultation time during the COVID-19 epidemic. Wali et al. (2020) observed that patients in Saudi Arabia’s Western Region were pleased with the speed with which healthcare professionals used electronic medical records. The satisfaction of PHC patients with provider quality and efficiency is critical to the success of the healthcare system. Because patients demand prompt and sufficient treatment, the availability and accessibility of healthcare practitioners is critical to patient satisfaction. According to Almezaal et al. (2021), primary healthcare patients in Riyadh’s second health cluster were satisfied with provider availability and accessibility. This shows that the healthcare workers at these clinics are attending to the needs of the patients.Physicians, nurses, receptionists, and management at PHC clinics may have an impact on patient satisfaction. According to Halcomb et al. (2020), during the COVID-19 outbreak, primary healthcare nurses had inadequate PPE, a lack of training, and an increased workload, which hampered their treatment. Liu et al. (2021) revealed that patients’ experiences with Chinese community health centers were influenced by institutional primary healthcare services, such as practitioner availability and competence. According to these findings, good communication, training, and staff improve PHC patient satisfaction.
Patients’ Satisfaction with PHC Electronic ServicesElectronic appointment scheduling, referral, and PHC services (prescriptions, test results, and so on) are becoming mandatory. Patient satisfaction may speed up service. According to Al Salem et al. (2020), Saudi primary healthcare patients were pleased with electronic services. Wali et al. (2020) found that electronic medical records pleased Western Saudi Arabian patients. Patients’ satisfaction with electronic services is determined by their familiarity with technology and the availability of the center. Because of advances in healthcare technology, PHC now demands electronic services. There is also appointment scheduling, referral, and medical information, such as test results and prescriptions. Satisfaction with electronic services may have an impact on healthcare speed and efficiency.Electronic services like as appointment booking, referral, and medical record access may have an impact on patients’ satisfaction with PHC services. According to Liu et al. (2021), online appointment booking and prescription renewal were favorably connected with patients’ experiences with Chinese community health centers. Salgado et al. (2020) also emphasized the need of leveraging digital health technologies such as telemedicine and medication adherence apps to boost patients’ access to and engagement with community pharmacy services. According to these studies, electronic services may enhance the timeliness, accessibility, and quality of PHC services while also increasing patient satisfaction.
Patients’ General Satisfaction with PHC ServicesPatient satisfaction is used to assess the quality of PHC. Albahrani et al. (2022) revealed that basic healthcare satisfied patients in Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia. According to Hemadeh et al. (2019), Lebanese patients were satisfied with basic healthcare. However, the quality of healthcare practitioners, the availability of services, and the structure and management of the center may all have an impact on patients’ satisfaction with PHC services. Patient satisfaction determines the quality of PHC. It reflects patients’ opinions on the center’s services.The overall satisfaction of PHC patients is critical. Indigenous populations in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States preferred mobile PHC clinics because of their accessibility, cultural sensitivity, and continuity of care, according to Beks et al. (2020). According to Liu et al. (2021), patients’ satisfaction with Chinese community health centers was positively associated to their perception of institutional primary healthcare services. These findings suggest that improving PHC services and matching patients’ needs and expectations may boost patient satisfaction.Many factors influence PHC patients’ satisfaction. Healthcare professionals are really important. Patients’ happiness with center services may be strongly influenced by doctors, nurses, and other staff members. Patients want their physicians to be informed, kind, and attentive. The satisfaction of PHC patients may also be impacted by service availability. Patients expect rapid assistance. The construction and management of the center may also have an impact on the pleasure of PHC patients. Patients expect a well-run hospital with clear communication and quick access to services. Patients anticipate that the facility will have enough medical equipment and resources to provide great treatment. Hemadeh et al. (2019) discovered that patients’ satisfaction with basic healthcare in Lebanon was influenced by gender, age, education, and chronic disease status. Females and chronic disease patients were less happy than younger and better-educated people. Chronic patients in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, were less satisfied with PHC services than non-chronic patients, according to Almezaal et al. (2021). Patient satisfaction was also increased as a result of health education.
Conclusion Finally, this research review will be notably beneficial to Saudi Arabian and other healthcare authorities and management. Better PHC services are required for universal healthcare coverage and improved health outcomes. Policymakers can enhance PHC services, healthcare costs, and patient outcomes by focusing on patient happiness. To enhance service delivery, invest in healthcare practitioner training, PHC center infrastructure, and electronic health systems. Cultural factors, health knowledge, and patient expectations may all have an effect on PHC patient satisfaction. As a result, more research is necessary. Future research might look at how patient satisfaction influences health outcomes as well as the cost-effectiveness of patient satisfaction interventions. This study focuses on patient satisfaction with PHC services and the need to improve PHC center care.
References
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