Patient Satisfaction in Duhok, Kurdistan Region of Iraq: Family Medicine Center vs. Primary Health Care Centers Lars A. Peschke, MD, ABFM Ary H. Mohammed, MBChB, MSc Samim A. Al-Dabbagh, MBChB, DTM&H

Background Family Medicine: Specialty in N. Iraq in 2006 No study had evaluated its acceptance among the general population

Objectives Aim: compare patient satisfaction at Zanest Family Medicine Center with 2 traditional primary health care centers (PHCCs)

Methods Study population Estimated: 200 surveys for adequate validity1 404 outpatients were interviewed 199 at Zanest Family Medicine Center 101 at Barzan PHCC 104 at Shahidan PHCC 1White B. Measuring Patient Satisfaction: How to Do it and Why to Bother. Family Practice Management January 1999

Methods Data Collection Direct interview of patients at the health care centers 4 weeks in August 2008

Methods Questionnaire SERVQUAL survey – to assess patient satisfaction2 Five dimensions of SERVQUAL Tangibles – physical facilities/surrounding, equipment Reliability – ability to accurately perform the service Responsiveness – willingness to assist clients Assurance – knowledgeable, inspire confidence, trust Empathy – ability to provide individual attention, care 2Parasuraman A, Zeithaml VA, Berrz LL. SERVQUAL: a multi-item scale for measuring consumer perceptions of service quality. Journal of Retailing, 1988, 64(1): 12-40

Methods Questionnaire Overall patient satisfaction 16 statements in 5 SERVQUAL dimensions Scored on a three-point-Likert scale agree, unsure, disagree Overall patient satisfaction average of the 16 statements for each patient If > 90% → patient “highly satisfied” If 80.1% to 90% → patient “considerably satisfied” If ≤ 80% → patient “moderately satisfied”

Results

Results

Results

Results

Results

Conclusions Patients at the first family medicine center in Duhok, are more satisfied than patients at the traditional primary health care centers. As trained family medicine doctors have started to work at Zanest FMC it is expected that the already statistically significant difference in patient satisfaction has increased further.

Recommendations Further studies are recommended to evaluate patient satisfaction at health care centers where mainly certified family medicine doctors work (Zanest FMC, Shindokha PHCC) as compared to traditional PHCCs. With the collaboration of the DG of Health, it is recommended to dedicate other primary health care centers as family medicine centers.

Acknowledgments Dr. Abdullah Saeed (Director General of Health) Mr. Freydoon and Mr. Jameel (surveyors) Dr. Abdullah Jasem (refinement of proposal) Dr. Sa’ad Younis (statistical analysis of the data)

Questions? Thank You