CARE RECEIVERS SATISFACTION IN FAMILY PHYSICIAN AND REFERRAL SYSTEM: A NATIONAL STUDY FROM IRAN

Background: Family physicians provide the vast majority of primary care in rural areas. In 2006, Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Ministry of Welfare and Social Security and Medical Services Insurance Organization in Iran conducted" Family physician and Referral System" as a health sector reform. With respect to patient satisfaction, in 2009 Institute for Health Sciences Research became responsible for assessing satisfaction of care receivers. The aim of this study was to determine care receivers’ satisfaction with different services after implementation of “Family physician and Referral System”.

Materials and Methods: The study is a cross-sectional one held in country. After randomized selection of 87 health centers through country, during two weeks all care receivers attending to these health centers were studied The "Family physician and Referral System" provided health services for all members of families without age or sex limitation. This survey involved 11318 care receivers with a mean age of 36.3(sd =17). Minimum of age was 1 years old and maximum of age was117 years old. Among care receivers 67% was females and 33% was male.

The care receivers’ satisfaction with these five services was assessed: Physician services, midwifery services, drug services, injection services and diagnostic services.

Results: In this study, 11318 care receivers were studied. Regarding the study findings, most care receivers (about 80%) were satisfied with the physician and midwifery services. On the other hand, there were lower satisfactions with the pharmacy, laboratory and imaging services (about 70%, 60% and 50% respectively).

Conclusion: Most care receivers (about 80%) were satisfied with the physician and midwifery services. Maintaining the family physician and midwifery services at least under these circumstances is important to prevent declining of the satisfaction with these sections. In this regard, implementation of the strategies for attraction and distribution of family physicians and midwifes is essential. And accessibility improvement of the pharmacy and diagnostic services is necessary.