Uninformed choice.
The United Kingdom recently reformed its health service to promote consumer choice of a provider. The authors investigate the evaluative strategies patients use for their present primary care provider as a precursor to determining future choice criteria. However, this information has only limited value since health care providers still cannot market their services. The policy changes have introduced structural reforms but are not addressing some of the practical constraints to choice in this market.
University of Stirling, Scotland.
M
M
Gabbott
G
G
Hogg
D002755:Choice Behavior; D003258:Consumer Behavior; D004465:Economic Competition; D006751:Hospital Information Systems / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D008389:Marketing of Health Services / Q000379:methods*; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011787:Quality of Health Care / Q000592:standards; D013222:State Medicine / Q000191:economics* / Q000592:standards; D006113:United Kingdom