Last update:
06-Jul-2004

OBJECTIVE Evaluation of patient satisfaction with the Primary Health Care (PHC) services provided by the Social Security Institute (IKA) in the greater Athens area.

METHOD The study was conducted in 4 IKA primary care centers (Alexandras, Amarousion, Zografou, Peristeri) among a sample of 435 randomly selected patients using priority lists, between January and May 2001. The response rate reached 95.2% and only 21 patients refused to participate in the study. The questionnaire included 35 items measuring the respondent’s health status, family and educational status, as well as the quality of the services provided to patients such as ease of access to services, specialty consultation demand and waiting times.

RESULTS The findings of the survey indicate that 51.2% of the respondents believe that their health is good, 76.1% prefer to be initially examined by a general practitioner, while 91.3% visit specialty doctors on individual initiative, without referal. On average the respondents had made 10 visits during the previous year to IKA primary care centers. It was estimated that 19.3% visit doctors on the day of request or on the following day and only 0.7% have to wait for an appointment for about a month. IKA services provided by primary care centers were evaluated as being very good or good by 51% of the respondents, and only 13.8% of the patients evaluated them as being bad or very bad. Finally, 51.2% claimed to be moderately satisfied with the services provided, 31.4% very satisfied and 8.9% not at all satisfied.

CONCLUSIONS Based on the degree of satisfaction expressed by patients it is concluded that there is a need for the improvement of the services of IKA primary care centers.

Key words: Patient satisfaction, Primary Health Care, Social Security Institute.