Objective.
To translate and adapt an effective, validated, benchmarked, and widely used patient satisfaction measurement tool for use with an Arabic-speaking population.
Design.
Translation of survey's items, survey administration process development, evaluation of reliability, and international benchmarking Setting. Three hundred-bed tertiary care hospital in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Participants.
645 patients discharged during 2011 from the hospital's inpatient care units. Interventions. the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) instrument was translated into Arabic, a randomized weekly sample of patients was selected, and the survey was administered via telephone during 2011 to patients or their relatives. Main outcome measures. Scores were compiled for each of the HCAHPS questions and then for each of the six HCAHPS clinical composites, two non-clinical items, and two global items. Results. Clinical composite scores, as well as the two non-clinical and two global items were analyzed for the 645 respondents. Clinical composites were analyzed using Spearman's correlation coefficient and Cronbach's alpha to demonstrate acceptable internal consistency for these items and scales demonstrated acceptable internal consistency for the clinical composites. (Spearman's correlation coefficient = 0.327 – 0.750, P<0.01; Cronbach's alpha = 0.516 – 0.851) All ten HCAHPS measures were compared quarterly to US national averages with results that closely paralleled the US benchmarks.
Conclusion.
The Arabic translation and adaptation of the HCAHPS is a valid, reliable, and feasible tool for evaluation and benchmarking of inpatient satisfaction in Arabic speaking populations.
