title: Women's preferences for their gynecologist or obstetrician.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to evaluate women's preferences in selecting their gynecologist or obstetrician.
  
  
  METHODS
  This cross-sectional study was performed at the Women's Health Center "Netka", Tel Aviv over a 1-month period in 2006 and included 287 participants. Women were asked to complete an anonymous questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most women (60.3%) reported that the gender of their gynecologist or obstetrician was not an important consideration when choosing a gynecologist or an obstetrician. The major determinants in their choice of a gynecologist or an obstetrician included professionalism (98.9%), courtesy (96.6%) and board certification (92%). The rating of the two most important factors in their choice revealed the following order: professionalism (45.3%), courtesy (25.8%), board certification (10.8%), availability (10.1%), comprehension (6.5%) and communication (1.5%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Israeli women's model of choice of their gynecologist involved physicians' professionalism and courtesy while availability and physician's gender was significantly less important.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The presented data may help health providers during patients' education and counseling along with facilitating better understanding of patients' needs.
authors.affiliation: Healthcare Management, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel.
authors.forename: Irena
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Piper
authors.forename: Shifra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shvarts
authors.forename: Samuel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lurie
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002568:Certification; D002755:Choice Behavior; D003142:Communication; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006176:Gynecology / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel; D017533:Marital Status; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009774:Obstetrics / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D010822:Physicians, Women / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000523:psychology; D011361:Professional Competence; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014930:Women / Q000523:psychology*