Evaluating Quality of Care in Emergency Departments: Perspectives of Patients’ and Health Professionals in Saudi Arabia
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Mashael A Hobani,1 Abdullatif A Almarashi,2 Ali H Dammas,3 Lina H Khusheim,1 Ghassan A Murshid,3 Turki G Alahmadi,3 Waleed M Kattan,1 Khalid A Alasmari4 1Department of Family and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; 2Department of Research, Jeddah First Health Cluster, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; 3Emergency Department, Jeddah Second Health Cluster, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; 4Ministry of Health – Jeddah Branch, Jeddah, Saudi ArabiaCorrespondence: Mashael A Hobani, Email [email protected]: The emergency department (ED) plays a vital role in providing life-saving services in hospitals worldwide. In Jeddah province, Saudi Arabia, the Ministry of Health introduced the “Door to Disposition” key performance indicator (KPI) to enhance ED service quality by addressing overcrowding, limited bed capacity, delays in patient transfer, and complex logistical inefficiencies. However, little is known about how this initiative has affected the quality of ED care from the perspectives of patients and healthcare professionals.Aim: To evaluate the quality of health services in the ED from the patients’ and health professional’s perspectives.Methods: A qualitative design was employed using purposive sampling. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 32 patients and 24 health professionals across 11 public hospitals (three rural and eight urban) in Jeddah between November 2023 and January 2024. Interviews were conducted face-to-face or by phone in Arabic or English, recorded with consent, and analyzed thematically.Findings: Participants highlighted the importance of the “Door to Disposition” initiative and its valuable implementation. On the other hand, the primary reported barriers to emergency quality care provision are the absence of an effective triage system, shortage of medical practitioners, long waiting times, lack of dedicated urgent care centers, and lack of resources and logistical support. Thus, participants suggested improving emergency department services by focusing on primary and secondary care centers in terms of essential services and supplies, increasing the physical and human capacity of hospitals, establishing affiliated urgent care centers, providing effective and efficient means of communication between primary and secondary care centers, and finally, continually developing the healthcare providers capabilities.Conclusion: The study helped to identify the barriers and facilitators encountered by patients and health professionals when accessing and utilizing emergency care in Jeddah.Keywords: emergency care, quality of care, qualitative research, patient perspectives, barriers to care, management
Authors: Hobani MA, Almarashi AA, Dammas AH, Khusheim LH, Murshid GA, Alahmadi TG, Kattan WM, Alasmari KA
Language: English
Subfield: Emergency Medicine
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7102330009
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