Evaluation of Patient Satisfaction With the New Web-Based Medical Appointment Systems “Mawid” at Primary Health Care Level in Southwest Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study - Cureus

Patient restitution has go an influential country successful wellness strategy readying and development. It is simply a important extremity of healthcare organizations and presents challenges to providing prime diligent attraction [1]. Saudi Ministry of Health is progressively insisting connected the relation of diligent restitution successful the attraction process, manifested by its Patient Experience Measurement Program [2].

Nowadays, due to the fact that of the expanded situation successful providing fantabulous healthcare services benefits by suppliers, diligent fulfillment has go 1 of the needs of well-being focuses [3]. When the assignment scheduling strategy is planned and actualized babelike connected the patient's needs and wishes, it enables suppliers to much readily comprehend the patient's issues, admit the model shortcomings, increment knowing fulfillment, and amended objective outcomes [4].

The Saudi Ministry of Health (MOH) launched galore wellness initiatives related to the National Transformation Program (NTP) 2020 and the Saudi Vision 2030, among them e-health, which seeks to supply wellness services that are needed, astatine a convenient location, via web-based services. The caller “Mawid” system, is an physics work that enables patients oregon users to book, cancel oregon reschedule their assignment astatine superior healthcare centers (PHCCs). The strategy disposable successful smartphone applications facilitates the physics scheduling of appointments successful PHCCs. Further, the exertion books the assignment and confirms oregon cancels it successful immoderate infirmary referred to the diligent done convenient channels the exertion provides to its users [5].

The advantages of these applications are that it shortens the diligent “waiting” clip successful beforehand of doctors' clinics. It besides makes the doc alert of what helium is doing for that time successful presumption of readiness [6]. Overall, the lit suggests a increasing inclination for the adopting web-based assignment systems to save clip and resources [7-12].

Several studies assessing web-based systems documented their efficiency, and astir patients would usage the work again [7-17]. To date, determination are fewer studies astir the efficacy of web-based assignment systems successful Saudi Arabia [18]. Hence, this study’s objectives were to measure patients’ restitution and cognition with the caller web-based aesculapian assignment system “Mawid” programme and find the associated factors astatine the PHCCs level successful Jazan Southwest Saudi Arabia.

Study design, place, and participants

An analytical cross-sectional survey was conducted to measure patients’ cognition and restitution with the web-based aesculapian assignment systems “Mawid” successful PHCCs successful Jazan Region. The survey was conducted successful the Jazan region, located successful the southwest of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The portion includes a fig of governorates and administrative centers and is distributed into six wellness sectors: central, Middle, Southern, Northern, Eastern, and Western. The portion is highly populated, and the estimated colonisation is astir 1,567,547 people, according to statistics in 2017 [19]. The survey included each big patients, property 18 and supra who attended the selected PHCCs during the survey play and agreed to motion the survey consent; we excluded participants who could not talk Arabic.

Sample size and illustration design

Jazan portion administratively comprises six wellness sectors; the sampling plan was multi-stage stratified random sampling. In the archetypal stage, 2 PHCCs were selected from the six wellness sectors of the Jazan region. In the 2nd stage, patients were selected randomly from each selected PHCCs utilizing systematic random sampling. This study's illustration size was calculated utilizing the illustration size look for cross-sectional survey design. The look is developed to cipher a typical illustration for proportions and written arsenic follows: (n= Z²_(1−α/2) ×P(1−P)/d²). The sample's anticipated colonisation proportionality (p) is acceptable to beryllium 50% due to the fact that this is the safest prime for (p) since the illustration size required is largest erstwhile P=50%. For a 95% assurance level, Z²_(1−α/2) = 1.96, mistake (d), not much than 5%, past the archetypal illustration size volition beryllium 400, and finally, aft accounting for a 10% non-response rate, the required illustration size accrued to 440 persons.

Data postulation method and survey instrument

The information were collected by interviewing patients look to look to capable retired the survey questionnaire. A structured paper-based questionnaire was utilized for information collection. The instrumentality utilized for this existent probe aimed to elicit accusation connected evaluating patients’ acquisition attending PHCCs successful the Jazan portion regarding their restitution and cognition of the Medical Appointment System “Mawid” among the people population, is designed aft consulting the applicable lit [7-12]. The questionnaire is divided into 4 sections: The archetypal conception contains demographic information and aesculapian history, specified arsenic age, gender, occupation, level of education, marital status, and residence. The 2nd conception contains the participants’ Health accusation and chronic conditions similar diabetes oregon hypertension and the reply to these questions are (yes oregon no). The 3rd conception involves accusation connected the level of restitution with the service. The questions successful this conception are Likert-based questions answered (Strongly Satisfied, Satisfied, Uncertain, Dissatisfied, Dissatisfied Strongly). Finally, the 4th conception involves questions connected patients’ cognition of the Medical Appointment System “Mawid.” The questions successful this conception are besides based connected Likert standard and answered (I powerfully agree, agree, disagree, disagree oregon disagree strongly).

Piloting, reliability, and validity of the instrument

The main nonsubjective of the pre-testing was to trial the adequacy and contented of the questionnaire, illustration design, and fieldwork plan. The magnitude of the interview, recognition of the respondents, cognition of the respondents towards the contents of the questionnaire, and sequences of topics are tested done pre-testing operation. Pre-testing of the questionnaire is conducted successful 2 PHCCs, done the organisation of 30 questionnaires. The aviator survey besides was utilized to measure the reliability. The survey questionnaire provided a Reliability Statistics Cronbach’s Alpha of Items 0.74126. Experts assessed the look validity of the questionnaire with a heavy understanding in the household and assemblage medicine department.

Data absorption and statistical analysis 

The completed questionnaires were reviewed connected regular basal to debar mistakes. The SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) bundle programme was utilized for information analysis. The results of this probe are presented utilizing frequence tables, percentages, means, SD, 95% CI and crude and adjusted likelihood ratios. For information analysis, the lowest people was valued arsenic (1) for powerfully dissatisfied and the highest arsenic (5) for powerfully satisfied. The wide level of restitution was calculated from 10 statements connected the restitution connected the web-based and dichotomized into 2 satisfied and dissatisfied. Chi-squared trial for independency and the autarkic t-test was besides utilized to find the differences betwixt antheral and pistillate response. Moreover, bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were utilized to find the relation betwixt inheritance characteristics and the wide level of satisfaction. A p-value little than 0.05 was utilized to bespeak the statistical significance.

Ethical consideration 

This survey was conducted successful accordance with the ethical standards of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Helsinki Declaration. All the participants, read, understood and signed a written consent form. Participants were told that they person the state to enactment oregon to retreat from the survey astatine immoderate time. The anonymity of participants was emphasized, and confidentiality was strictly maintained connected each collected questionnaires. Also, support was obtained from the Standing Committee for Scientific Research Ethics - Jazan University (HAPO-10-Z-001) notation (REC40/3-080).

Overall, 421 (of 440) attendees to PHCCs successful the Jazan portion completed the questionnaires giving a effect complaint of 95.7%. Participants’ property ranged from 18 to much than 45 years, with a mean property of 34.6 years. Table 1 shows the socio-demographic diagnostic of the survey participants. Males comprised 51.8% (n=218), and females were 48.2% (n=203) of the survey population. The bulk of patients were married, 64.4% (n=217), and 26.8% (n=113) were single. Almost one-third, 35.6% (n=150), were successful the property radical (25-34) years.

Table 2 shows the patients’ restitution level with the caller web-based aesculapian assignment system “Mawid.” The wide level of restitution was precise precocious astatine 94.3% with 95% C.I.: 91.7-96.1. A ample proportionality of survey participants were highly satisfied with the caller web-based aesculapian assignment system “Mawid,” arsenic 9 statements scored 90% and supra successful level of satisfaction. About 89.3% of respondents were satisfied with the waiting play to conscionable the service, portion astir lone 3.8% were dissatisfied with the registration process. Those who were satisfied with the work mostly accounted for 95.7% of the survey participants. No important quality was reported according to sex regarding the level of restitution but for restitution with the waiting time, wherever males (92.7%) were importantly much satisfied than females (85.7%) (p = 0.021).

Respondent’s cognition of the caller scheduling strategy “Mawid” is presented successful Table 3. The array shows 89.1% of the participants agreed that the assignment strategy regulates the fig of patients, portion 87.7% considered the assignment strategy reduces session crowding. More than fractional of respondents (61.8%) agreed that the assemblage civilization mightiness bounds the scheduling system’s use. The bulk of participants, 87.6% and 88.2%, agreed that the web-based aesculapian assignment systems “Mawid” gives the beneficiary entree to the nearest PHCCs and allows them to book, manage, modify, and cancel their appointments effectively, respectively.

PaPatient'serception of the caller scheduling strategy “Mawid” according to Gender is shown successful Table 4. The array indicated that determination are nary differences successful patients' cognition according to sex arsenic the p > 0.05 for each statements reflecting their perception.

Univariate and multivariate logistic regression investigation suggested that antheral patients were much apt to person a higher level of restitution with the web-based assignment system as compared with pistillate (COR = 2.95, 95% C.I.: 1.15-7.60, p=0.025) and (AOR = 3.12, 95% C.I.: 1.14-8.52, p=0.026), respectively. Also, patients successful the property groups 25-34 and 35-44 years had a debased level of restitution arsenic compared to aged patients (45 years and above) (COR = 0.31 and 0.23) and (AOR = 0.27 and 0.19) (p < 0.05 for all) (Table 5).

There is expanding involvement successful the web-based assignment system, which tin efficaciously summation diligent restitution by reducing waiting times and non-attendance (no-show) rates [10,12]. A radical of studies documented that adopting web-based assignment systems saves clip and resources [6-12]. To the champion of our knowledge, this survey was the archetypal to measure diligent restitution with assignment scheduling systems astatine the PHCCs level successful Jazan. The contiguous survey aimed to measure the patient’s cognition and analyse the restitution level with the caller web-based aesculapian assignment system “Mawid.”

The wide level of restitution was precise precocious successful this survey astatine 94.3%. This uncovering is higher than the results of the lone disposable survey that conducted successful the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia [18] connected the aforesaid topic, which produced an wide level of restitution of 48.1% with the “Mawid” application. The differences betwixt the estimates whitethorn beryllium attributed to the differences successful the level of sum successful some studies, arsenic Makkah’s survey was conducted successful 1 PHC Center. Our effect is akin to a survey conducted successful Canada, wherever patients reported a precocious grade of usability and wide restitution astatine 93% [20].

About 89.3% of respondents were satisfied with the waiting play to conscionable the service. In fact, astir studies reported that assignment systems signifi­cantly trim the clip of arranging appointments and prevention the participants’ clip [12]. This effect is accordant with the results of studies [10,15,21-23], which person shown that assignment systems tin efficaciously trim waiting time.

Our survey revealed a affirmative cognition towards “Mawid” among patients, arsenic 89.1% of the participants agreed that the assignment booking strategy regulates the fig of patients, portion 87.7% of participants considered that the assignment strategy reduces session crowding. The bulk of participants, 87.6% and 88.2%, respectively, agreed that the web-based aesculapian assignment systems “Mawid” gives the beneficiary entree to the nearest PHCCs and allows them to book, manage, modify and cancel their appointments effectively. These results are accordant with galore published research. In their review, Zhao et al. enumerated a fig of benefits of adopting the web-based system, including reduced no-show rate, decreased unit labor, decreased waiting time, and improved restitution [12].

By analyzing the factors influencing the restitution level of web-based aesculapian assignment systems “Mawid”, we recovered that restitution is importantly associated with gender. Many studies did not find a important relation betwixt the level of restitution and sex [7,10,18,24]. We recovered that males were much satisfied than females with the service, this uncovering needs in-depth investigation, and a qualitative survey whitethorn beryllium suggested to research these differences. Also, we recovered that young patients had little restitution compared with older patients. A imaginable mentation is that older patients are much predominant users of the services than younger patients.

Our probe has immoderate limitations: first, the probe was conducted successful a fig of selected PHCCs successful the Jazan region, which decreases the potentiality of generalizing the survey results to the different areas successful KSA. Second, information were collected utilizing a self-reported questionnaire, which is simply a imaginable mistake source. Third, diligent restitution probe should beryllium handled with attraction arsenic a patient’s expectations for his attraction encounter. Some probe demonstrated that it is simply a subjective healthcare measurement [25,26], arsenic 2 patients receiving the aforesaid services whitethorn person antithetic opinions. Despite these limitations, our survey provided an estimation for the level of restitution with the “Mawid” assignment strategy for Jazan for the archetypal time. Finally, this survey was based connected a cross-sectional survey design. The associations mentioned successful this survey should beryllium interpreted with care, arsenic this plan cannot find origin and effect.