Willingness to attend group visits for hypertension treatment.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the proportion and characteristics of patients willing to attend group medical visits.


METHODS
Cross-sectional survey.


METHODS
A telephone survey was administered to 296 patients with hypertension from an urban public hospital's primary care clinic between October 2004 and August 2005.


RESULTS
Most respondents were female (79%) and African American (89%), with a monthly income of $1000 or less (75%) and a mean age of 56 years (age range, 29-81 years). After a brief description of the group medical visit, 68% of respondents indicated they were willing to attend the group visit. After offering 3 incentives (reduced wait to see their physician, more time with their physician, and parking or transportation subsidies), the total percentage of potential willing participants increased to 80%. Persons living with someone, reporting shorter wait times after appointment check-in, and desiring more time with their physician were more likely to be willing to attend group medical visits.


CONCLUSIONS
Most of the surveyed patients in the study were willing to attend group medical visits. Although the effectiveness and cost savings need further investigation, group medical visits may prove to be a desirable chronic disease care approach for underserved populations.
Kawasaki
Lumie
L
Section of General Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA. lkawasa@tulane.edu
Muntner
Paul
P
Hyre
Amanda D
AD
Hampton
Kashley
K
DeSalvo
Karen N
KN
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D019468:Disease Management; D005260:Female; D006126:Group Processes; D006779:Hospitals, Public; D006786:Hospitals, Urban; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000628:therapy*; D008145:Louisiana; D008297:Male; D008507:Medically Underserved Area; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D010349:Patient Compliance; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires