Author/Authors :
Mahfouz, A.A. King Khalid University - College of Medicine - Department of Family and Community Medicine, Saudi Arabia , Abdelmoneim, I. King Khalid University - College of Medicine - Department of Family and Community Medicine, Saudi Arabia , Khan, M.Y. King Khalid University - College of Medicine - Department of Family and Community Medicine, Saudi Arabia , Daffalla, A.A. King Khalid University - College of Medicine - Department of Family and Community Medicine, Saudi Arabia , Diab, M.M. King Khalid University - College of Medicine - Department of Family and Community Medicine, Saudi Arabia , El-Gamal, M.N. General Directorate of Health Affairs, Saudi Arabia. , Al-Sharif, A.I. General Directorate of Health Affairs, Saudi Arabia
Abstract :
To study emergency services delivery in all 30 primary health care centres in Abha district of Asir region, Saudi Arabia, data were collected about equipment and facilities, physicians’ practices and attitudes, and patients’ utilization of and satisfaction with emergency services. Two centres had no devoted place for emergency services. Lack of some essential equipment and drugs was evident. The greatest continuing medical education need for doctors was the management of cardiovascular emerggencies (72.3%). Many doctors (40.4%) did not consider the majority of cases as true emergencies. Many patients (43.7%) used the centres for emergency services, the most common being trauma, burns and orthopaedics (47.8%). Most patients were satisfied overall with emergency services (82.2%).
