1. 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

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

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

4. 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

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

6. 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

7. 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”

8. Results

9. Results

10. Results

11. Results

12. Results

13. 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.

14. 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.

15. 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)

16. Questions?
Thank You