User satisfaction with primary health care: an analysis of access and care

This study aimed to analyze user satisfaction with access and care in Primary Health Care (PHC) based on non-urgent demand for emergency services. 28 non-urgent users of emergency services were intentionally interviewed across five health districts in the city of Riberao Preto in Sao Paulo State. These users had been treated in PHC at least once in the previous six months prior to data collection aimed at evaluating the services. Content analysis was used to analyze the interviews. The results showed there to be satisfaction with care received from health professionals in PHC and dissatisfaction with delays in arranging an appointment and with difficulty to receive care based on spontaneous demand. There was found to be no difference in the levels of satisfaction between the users from different health districts. The article concludes that obstacles to access to PHC services represent a barrier for populations wishing to receive care, with repercussions in terms of user satisfaction and high demand for emergency care. Keywords: Primary health care. Patient satisfaction. Health services accessibility