Assessment of Pregnant Women's Satisfaction With the Model of Care Initiative: Antenatal Care Services at Primary Health Care Centers in the Qassim Health Cluster, Saudi Arabia

Background: Patient satisfaction is a critical indicator of healthcare quality, including high-quality antenatal care (ANC), and it directly impacts care continuity and health outcomes. This study assessed the satisfaction levels of pregnant women with ANC services provided at primary healthcare centers (PHCs) within the Qassim Health Cluster, Saudi Arabia.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 646 pregnant women attending ANC services in the Qassim region. Participants completed a validated questionnaire assessing demographic characteristics, healthcare interactions, and satisfaction levels across various ANC service aspects, including waiting times, healthcare provider communication, and healthcare service quality. Statistical analyses, including Pearson's chi-squared tests, Fisher's exact tests, and regression analyses, were performed to identify predictors of satisfaction.

Results: The majority of participants (N=366, 90.6%) reported successfully booking their appointments, and 368 (91.1%) faced no challenges during the process. While 393 (97.3%) and 398 (98.5%) reported receiving weight and blood pressure measurements, respectively, only 312 (77.2%) were advised on diet, and 298 (73.8%) received explanations about alarming symptoms. Communication gaps were noted, with 71% (N=287) of participants indicating that physicians did not introduce themselves, and 307 (76%) reported that physicians did not disclose their specialties. Satisfaction levels were highest for maintaining privacy (273 (67.6%) highly satisfied) and healthcare staff attitudes (247 (61.1%) highly satisfied), with an overall satisfaction mean score of 4.31±0.869. Regression analyses identified healthcare service levels and years of marriage as significant predictors of satisfaction (p<0.05).

Conclusion: While overall satisfaction with ANC services was high, areas such as physician communication and health education require improvement. Interventions focusing on enhancing patient-provider interactions, providing comprehensive health education, and optimizing service delivery could further improve satisfaction.