Analysis of satisfaction with the accessibility and quality of primary health care for patients with pathology of lower limb arteries

Aim. To study the opinion of the population about satisfaction with the accessibility and quality of primary health care for diseases of the arteries of the lower extremities in institutions of the Sverdlovsk region, as well as to identify problems in the organization of its provision.

Methods. From January to June 2019, an anonymous survey of 384 patients with diseases of the arteries of the lower extremities who applied for a consultative appointment with a cardiovascular surgeon at the clinic of the Sverdlovsk Regional Clinical Hospital No. 1 was carried out. A representative sample was determined by formulae, in which, out of the general population the number of registered cases of arterial disease of the lower limbs in the Sverdlovsk region, was acceptable. The survey involved 301 (78.4%) men and 83 (21.6%) women.

Results. More than 90% of respondents were over 50 years old. More than 35% of respondents expected a referral for a consultation with a specialist later than 1 month away. The accessibility and timeliness of obtaining specialized medical care were influenced by the geographical remoteness from the regional center. The presence of queues in outpatient clinics at the place of residence, the difficulty in obtaining a coupon for an appointment with a doctor, the inaccessibility of free research, as well as the inconvenient work schedule of specialist doctors were the main reasons for not obtaining medical care. When examined in the clinic at the place of residence, more than half of the respondents used their own money. Just over a third of patients (35.2%) thought that the level of medical care has improved over the past decade, 19.5% thought that it had become worse, 16.4% that it had not changed, and 28.9% found it difficult to answer. About half of the respondents (48.8%) were satisfied with the result of the medical care provided, 11.2% were not satisfied, and 40% of the patients found it difficult to answer.

Conclusion. The shortcomings identified in the organization of outpatient care in medical institutions of the Sverdlovsk region indicate the need to improve primary health care for patients with lower limb arterial disease. Such improvements will achieve the goals and objectives of the National Healthcare project through the development of telemedicine technologies and the development of organizational and functional patient routing models, standard operating procedures for examining more patients with cardiovascular pathology by primary care physicians, and their active introduction into public health practice.