title: How Lamaze-prepared expectant parents select obstetricians.
abstract: One form of consumer involvement in the health-care process pertains to the selection of a physician. Expectant parents enrolled in prepared childbirth classes were asked to evaluate, individually, the importance of issues associated with selecting an obstetrician, both before and after childbirth. The data indicated that the ability of the obstetrician to communicate effectively with patients was the most important factor; of little importance were factors related to the obstetrician's personal characteristics (e.g., age, sex) and professional training. Although the husband/wife rankings showed a high degree of similarity, some differences were observed: husbands had a greater concern for the wife's treatment by medical personnel, while wives had a greater concern for the husband's involvement in the childbirth process. The obstetrician's office nursing staff was more important than such factors as recommendations, fees, and medical experience. Given the young and involved nature of the sample, these results may represent a future trend in health-care consumers.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003142:Communication; D003256:Community Participation; D003258:Consumer Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009321:Natural Childbirth / Q000379:methods*; D009774:Obstetrics; D009818:Office Nursing; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations