| Abstract |
Introduction: Health care, as provided by the National Health System of each
country, must guarantee the equal provision of health services to all. The recording of
the patient’s experience or a patient’s journey through the health system is a very
important tool in evaluating the health services offered to patients. In particular, the
role of Primary Health Care (PHC) is worth mentioning, as it is the first point of
contact between the patient and the health system. Specifically, PHC aims to treat,
prevent, manage incidents or diseases and promote and treat health. The quality of
these services and the degree of patient satisfaction with the services provided are
therefore of particular importance. Patient satisfaction with the quality of health
services is influenced by a variety of factors, such as the satisfaction of the patient's
personal needs, while the quality of health services is influenced by other factors, such
as efficiency.
Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate and assess the patient's journey, based
on their disease, through the PHC services and to record their journey within these
services, in order to assess the level of the quality of the health service provided, as
well as patient satisfaction. In addition, the study aimed to assess the challenges faced by both patients and health care staff during the patient's journey within the health
care system [at the 4th Local Health Unit (LHU) of Heraklion Crete].
Methodology: The study was qualitative and 81 adult participants were interviewed
to conduct the study. There was a questionnaire with 21 selected open-ended
questions, organized into thematic sections. Participants were divided into two groups:
patients (50 participants) and health care staff (31 participants). The patients were
registered patients of the 4th LHU and the health staff were working at this particular
LHU. The study was conducted over a period of three months, specifically from
October to December 2022. The venue was the 4th LHU during its regular hours and
days of operation. Finally, the interviews lasted approximately one hour, to allow the
participants to develop their responses in the way and to the extent that they wished.
Results: According to the results of the study, the level of service quality of the 4th
LHU and the level of patient satisfaction were rated as adequate and satisfactory by
the participants. In the participants' responses, particular reference was made to the
services of the LHU offered to the patient during the visit to the facility and after their
being discharged from the facility. In addition, reference was made to the immediacy
of the services, the continuity of the patient's care and the patient's cooperation with
the health professionals of the LHUs.
The care offered was described as comprehensive, integrated and person-centred -
holistic by the health professionals involved in the study. They also characterized the
services offered by the LHU as comprehensive, targeted and satisfactory. In addition,
the health personnel mentioned the difficulties they encountered while working in this
structure. In particular, they referred to the short time they have for making
appointments, the shortcomings of the logistical material and the large number of
patients served in this particular LHU.
In addition, according to their responses, the patients who participated in the study
were satisfied with the care provided by this structure. In addition, the patients stated
that their health status had improved as a result of the advice and assistance they
received from the LHU. Subsequently, the patients in their responses mentioned the
problems they encountered during their visit to the facility. In particular, they
mentioned the long wait for scheduling and making appointments and the difficulty
they have in communicating with staff and the LHU outside official hours. Conclusions: Our study highlighted the views of both patients and healthcare staff on
the quality of services and patient satisfaction with the services provided by the LHU.
In addition, the study highlighted the functioning of the LHU and the positive aspects
of the LHU regarding patient care. In addition, our study identified some difficulties,
shortcomings and concerns encountered by patients in their journey to the services of
the LHU, as well as the problems encountered by health care staff in the patient
journey.
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