Evaluation of the Quality of Care in Outpatient Services in Hypertensive Patients

Abstract

Introduction: The management of arterial hypertension is a challenge for the Honduran health system; there is insufficient information to evaluate the quality of care from the patient's perception of the health services received.

Objective: To evaluate the quality of care in the outpatient services of the Ministry of Health, in Honduras, for hypertensive patients, from April 2017 to April 2018.

Methods: This a quantitative, descriptive, cross-sectional study. The sample consisted of 6,720 respondents older than 20 years with arterial hypertension, who were treated on an outpatient basis in units of the Honduran Ministry of Health. The information was gathered from the physical structure of health units, care processes and the degree of user satisfaction of the care received.

Results: 54.4% (3,662) of the interviewees came from urban areas and 45.5% (3,058) from rural areas. 73.6% (4,945) were female, with overweight history in 17.3 % (1,164), 28.9% (1944) had high cholesterol and triglycerides. Blood pressure levels were measured to 94.9% (6379) in the care processes.

Conclusions: The patients rated the quality of care received as good and considered that it responded to their health problem. The structure of services was assessed as having insufficient human resources, materials, diagnostic means and medicines and deprived physical facilities (small, poor ventilation).