Patients’ satisfaction with healthcare provision in an out-patient setting in Malta

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Patients’ experience and satisfaction are key aspects of the delivery of patient-centred health care and are influenced by multiple factors. The private out-patient health services in Malta have a high utilisation rate, especially in the context of primary care. Previous data suggested a difference in terms of patient satisfaction and experience between the public and private sectors.

METHOD: The study involved a secondary analysis of data collected on patient satisfaction with primary and secondary out-patient healthcare services from the European Health Interview Survey (EHIS) carried out in 2019/2020. The EHIS sample was a representative sample of 4413 participants resident in the Maltese Islands stratified by age, gender and locality of residence.

RESULTS: The demand for healthcare services is high with 77.2% having visited a GP in the previous 12 months. The primary care services are still heavily reliant on the private sector. There is an overall high rate of satisfaction throughout. There was a statistical difference between the public and private sectors, with higher satisfaction reported for private consultations. Overall, doctors obtained lower satisfaction scores in terms of involvement in decisions about care.

CONCLUSIONS: Maltese patients are generally satisfied with the level of care provided during medical consultations. The lower score in terms of involvement in the care provided may indicate a need to focus on a better patient-centred approach. A need to address the gaps between the public and private health care services is evident in the need to target further interventions that aid better primary care public service utilisation.