Physician choice directories: the impact on HMO members' perceptions.
It is a generally held belief that enrolled members of a health maintenance organization (HMO) will be more satisfied with their HMO and physicians if those members have a relationship with a personal physician. Public relations and marketing managers, therefore, in an attempt to encourage the establishment of such relationships, spend significant resources producing physician choice directories for their HMO members. But to what extent do these directories impact members? Do the HMO members read them? If so, do they take advantage of the opportunity to choose a personal physician? And if they do choose, what affect does that choice behavior have on satisfaction levels? The experience of one large, group model HMO suggests that physician choice directories enhance members' confidence in their physicians and their satisfaction with personalized care.
McBride
J
J
Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program, San Diego, CA 92120, USA.
D002140:California; D003256:Community Participation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003657:Decision Making; D004181:Directories as Topic; D006125:Group Practice, Prepaid / Q000458:organization & administration; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006279:Health Maintenance Organizations / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008389:Marketing of Health Services; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D010820:Physicians / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011641:Public Relations; D000078329:Workforce