Challenges of Family Members of Admitted Patients in Relationship with Medical Staff in Kurdistan Region

Families often play a significant role in advocating for and supporting their patients during illness or hospitalization. Understanding the challenges between family members of patients and medical staff is crucial for improving communication, patient care, and the overall healthcare experience. This study aimed to investigate and understand the challenges and difficulties experienced by family members when dealing with the medical staff. This cross-sectional study conducted at a local teaching hospital in Kurdistan Region. A total of 400 family members of admitted patients from various medical departments were included in this study. Companions reported generally positive interactions with healthcare providers (HCPs). More than two third of the companions (86.0%) felt HCPs helped patients, understood their needs (82.75%), and provided good care (74.25%). Patients were rarely treated unfairly (82%) and companions rarely disagreed with HCPs (95%). However, some discomfort arose. A quarter (24%) of companions reported discomfort with HCPs in the past day, and nearly a third (27.0%) felt worried about patient care. Communication was good. Satisfaction increased with better communication (r = 0.8478) and decreased with conflict (r = –0.7477). The same was held for prior-day satisfaction. These findings suggested that improved communication enhanced companions’ experiences. This study showed that increased conflict typically leads to decreased satisfaction. Higher levels of positive communication are associated with increased satisfaction.