Homepage > Research abstracts > Quality Measures for Community Medicine from the Patients’ Point of View on Physician Primary Care Performance by Ethnic and Geographic Region in Israel
Quality Measures for Community Medicine from the Patients’ Point of View on Physician Primary Care Performance by Ethnic and Geographic Region in Israel
Researchers: Shira Zelber-Sagi1, Samah Hayek1,2
- University of Haifa
- Ministry of Health
Background: A key component of quality of health care is patient satisfaction, particularly with regard to Primary Care Physician (PCP).
Objectives: To evaluate the patients’ satisfaction regarding the PCP performance and to explore whether it differs by ethnicity and geographical region.
Method: A national cross-sectional survey was conducted, among a random sample of Israeli population aged 21 and above. Satisfaction level from performance of PCO and health care system were assessed by average score of the related items. The average score was on scale 1-5, 1 is very unsatisfied and 5 very satisfied. Descriptive statistics included proportions and mean (±SD). Bivariate analysis was conducted including t-tests and chi-square tests to assess differences between groups in satisfaction measures. SPSS software was used for data analysis.
Findings: The study includes 825 Jews and 605 Arabs; 60% reported a high satisfaction level from the PCP performance and 48% reported an average level of satisfaction from the health care system. Arabs reported lower satisfaction than Jews from PCP performance (average score: 3.96 (SD=0.61) vs. 4.12(0.60), respectively, P<0.001).
On the other hand, Arabs reported a better satisfaction than Jews from the health care system in Israel (average score: 3.68 (SD=0.73) vs. 3.53 (SD=0.76), respectively, P<0.001).
People who live in Jerusalem reported better satisfaction than people live in Northern areas (4.20 (SD=0.60) vs. 4.03 (SD=0.61), respectively, P=0.017)
On the other hand, Arabs reported a better satisfaction than Jews from the health care system in Israel (average score: 3.68 (SD=0.73) vs. 3.53 (SD=0.76), respectively, P<0.001).
People who live in Jerusalem reported better satisfaction than people live in Northern areas (4.20 (SD=0.60) vs. 4.03 (SD=0.61), respectively, P=0.017)
Conclusions: Signiant differences were found by Jews and Arabs and by place of residences in the level of patient satisfaction from the performance of PCP and the health care system in Israel. Satisfaction from healthcare system does not imply satisfaction from PCP performance.
Recommendations: Efforts should be focused toward improving the satisfaction level from PCP performance, and it can be achieved by improving the communications between patients and PCP. Efforts should be targeted specific population groups based on ethnicity and place of residence).
Research number: A/76/2015
Research end date: 09/2017