# Three-year trends and seasonal variation in patient satisfaction with primary health care services in Saudi Arabia: results from the national patient experience measurement program (2022–2024)

## TL;DR

This study analyzed patient satisfaction trends in Saudi Arabia's primary health care services from 2022 to 2024, finding significant improvements and seasonal patterns.

## Contribution

The study provides new insights into three-year trends and seasonal variations in patient satisfaction with primary health care in Saudi Arabia.

## Key findings

- Patient satisfaction scores increased significantly from 79.7 in 2022 to 84.3 in 2024.
- Older adults and non-Saudis reported higher satisfaction, while younger respondents and females had lower scores.
- The highest satisfaction gain occurred in the last quarter of 2024.

## Abstract

Patient satisfaction is a key metric for assessing quality and equity in health systems. In Saudi Arabia, the Ministry of Health (MOH) has prioritized monitoring patient experiences to guide primary health care (PHC) improvements. Understanding seasonal variation in satisfaction is particularly important, as it can reveal fluctuations in service performance and inform workload planning, staffing, and quality improvement policies. This study examined three-year trends and seasonal variation in patient satisfaction with PHC services from 2022 to 2024.

A retrospective repeated cross-sectional analysis was conducted using secondary data from the MOH Patient Experience Measurement Program. Data included responses from patients or their caregivers who visited PHC centres and completed the Press Ganey®-based patient satisfaction survey. Quarterly datasets from January 2022 to December 2024 across all PHC centres managed by 20 health clusters in Saudi Arabia were merged. The main outcome was the mean satisfaction score (scaled 0–100). Linear regression models were used to examine changes in patient satisfaction, adjusting for sociodemographic factors such as age, sex, and nationality. Interaction terms were introduced separately to assess temporal trends across different subgroups. Predicted margins were calculated and visualized to interpret subgroup patterns.

A total of 2,173,518 responses were analysed. The overall mean satisfaction score was 82.2 (SD = 23.4), increasing significantly from 79.7 in 2022 to 84.3 in 2024, p < 0.001. Older adults and non-Saudis reported higher satisfaction, while younger respondents and females had lower scores. The highest adjusted gain occurred in the last quarter of 2024 (β = 4.18; 95% CI: 4.01, 4.34). All subgroups showed upward trends, although disparities by age, sex, and nationality persisted throughout the three-year period.

Patient satisfaction with PHC services in Saudi Arabia improved significantly between 2022 and 2024, with evidence of seasonal patterns. These findings emphasize the importance of using national patient experience data to strengthen patient-centered reforms, promote equity, and guide evidence-based PHC quality improvement and policy design.