title: The quality of a surgeon defined by internal medicine and family practice physicians: a closed-ended survey with importance scale.
abstract: An anonymously completed, closed-ended questionnaire with an importance scale was sent to physicians to assess which qualities were important in their selection of a surgeon. Differences in proportions of rankings that were designated "extremely important" were assessed by binomial logistic regression was used. Null hypotheses were rejected if P < 0.05. Forty-two of 61 questionnaires were returned for analysis. Differences between dependability and other characteristics were statistically significant (G = 35.62, P = 0.001). The only characteristics that were statistically significantly less likely to receive a ranking of "extremely important" were facility appearance, subspecialty fellowship, and graduation from a good residency. All other differences could have been explained by chance (P > 0.05). Surgeons' character, equipment, and staffing of the facility were ranked extremely important, whereas training of the surgeon or the appearance of the facility was not.
authors.affiliation: Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, MOP Building, Suite 380, 3502 9th Street, Lubbock, TX 79415, USA.
authors.forename: Eldo E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Frezza
authors.forename: Mitchell S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Wachtel
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002755:Choice Behavior; D005194:Family Practice / Q000592:standards*; D013502:General Surgery / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D007388:Internal Medicine / Q000592:standards*; D010820:Physicians / Q000523:psychology*; D019984:Quality Indicators, Health Care; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires