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Satisfaction with Healthcare Services Among Free Clinic Patients

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Abstract

Free clinics provide free or reduced fee health services to the un- or under-insured. Patient engagement is important to understand patients’ needs and to improve healthcare systems. There are few studies that examined patient engagement and satisfaction among the underserved and how patients perceive the quality of healthcare services in a free clinic setting. This study examined free clinic patients’ satisfaction in order to better understand how free clinic patients perceive quality of healthcare services. English or Spanish speaking patients (N = 351), aged 18 years or older completed a self-administered survey using standardized measures of patient satisfaction and health status. Additional questions of patient satisfaction and experience with healthcare which fit a free clinic setting were developed. While the satisfaction with interpreter services was overall high, there were potential issues of a family member as an interpreter and unmet needs for interpreter services. Participants reported different levels of patient satisfaction by three language categories: native English speakers, non-native English speakers, and Spanish speakers. Health status is an important indicator to determine patient satisfaction. To improve patient satisfaction and engagement among free clinic patients, factors such as: quality of a family interpreter, unmet needs for interpreter services, social support, and health education programs may need to be considered. The differences in these three language groups indicate that not all free clinic patients may be combined together into a general category of free clinic patients. It may be necessary to provide customized treatment for each of these groups.

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Acknowledgments

This project was partially funded by the College of Social and Behavioral Science and the Faculty Fellowship from the Lowell Bennion Community Service Center, University of Utah. The authors want to thank the patients who participated in this study and acknowledge the contribution of the staff and volunteers of the Maliheh Free Clinic. In addition, we thank Lupe Aguilera, Jeffrey Furlong, Margaret Lastayo, Steve Horne, Emily Ledingham, Ian Moore, Marla Morillo and Javiera Reyes for their help in data collection or translation.

Human participants protection

The University of Utah Institutional Review Board (IRB) reviewed the protocol of this study and determined that it was exempt from IRB oversight.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Sociology, University of Utah, 380 S 1530 E, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, USA

    Akiko Kamimura & Kyl Myers

  2. Maliheh Free Clinic, Salt Lake City, UT, USA

    Jeanie Ashby & Nancy Christensen

  3. Division of Rheumatology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA

    Maziar M. Nourian

Authors
  1. Akiko Kamimura
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  2. Jeanie Ashby
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  3. Kyl Myers
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  4. Maziar M. Nourian
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  5. Nancy Christensen
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Correspondence to Akiko Kamimura.

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Kamimura, A., Ashby, J., Myers, K. et al. Satisfaction with Healthcare Services Among Free Clinic Patients. J Community Health 40, 62–72 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10900-014-9897-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10900-014-9897-8

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