Patient satisfaction with emergency department services in selected Saudi hospitals: a cross-sectional study

Patient satisfaction is an important indicator of healthcare quality and patient-centered care, particularly in emergency department (ED) settings. This study aimed to assess patient satisfaction with ED services and identify service quality factors associated with overall patient satisfaction among patients attending selected government and private hospitals in Saudi Arabia.

A cross-sectional study using a convenience sampling approach was conducted between April 5 and April 23, 2026, among adult patients attending the EDs of eight government and private hospitals, including five government hospitals and three private hospitals, across the Central, Western, and Eastern regions of Saudi Arabia. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire assessing satisfaction across multiple service quality domains, including waiting time, staff availability, patient involvement and communication, clarity of explanations, cleanliness, respect, and comfort. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation analysis, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and hierarchical multiple regression analysis were performed.

A total of 313 participants completed the survey (response rate: 78.3%). Waiting time received the lowest satisfaction rating (M = 2.46, SD = 1.34), whereas staff respect received the highest rating (M = 3.03, SD = 1.26). Significant positive correlations were observed between all service-quality dimensions and overall satisfaction (r = 0.67-0.76, p < 0.001). Overall satisfaction differed significantly across patient-reported waiting-time categories, F _{(2, 310)} = 47.83, p < 0.001, η² = 0.236, with shorter waiting times associated with higher satisfaction. In the final regression model, staff availability (β = 0.28, p < 0.001), comfort (β = 0.25, p < 0.001), and cleanliness (β = 0.19, p < 0.001) were significantly associated with overall satisfaction. The model explained 58% of the variance in satisfaction scores (R ² = 0.58, p < 0.001).

Patient satisfaction with ED services was associated with both operational and interpersonal aspects of care. Although waiting time was the lowest-rated domain, staff availability, comfort, and cleanliness demonstrated the strongest associations with overall satisfaction. Staff availability and responsiveness, comfort, and cleanliness emerged as important domains associated with overall patient satisfaction and may represent priority targets for future quality-improvement initiatives in Saudi Arabia.