Choosing a hospital for surgery: the importance of information on quality of care.
OBJECTIVE
To assess whether patients use information on quality of care when choosing a hospital for surgery compared with more general hospital information.


METHODS
In this cross-sectional study in 3 Dutch hospitals, questionnaires were sent to 2122 patients who underwent 1 of 6 elective surgical procedures in 2005-2006 (aorta reconstruction [for treatment of aneurysm], cholecystectomy, colon resection, inguinal hernia repair, esophageal resection, thyroid surgery). Patients were asked which information they had used to choose this hospital and which information they intended to use if they would need similar surgical treatment in the future.


RESULTS
In total, 1329 questionnaires were available for analysis (response rate 62.6%). Most patients indicated having used the hospital's good reputation (69.1%) and friendly hospital atmosphere (63.3%) to choose a hospital. For future choices, most patients intended to use the fact that they were already treated in that hospital (79.3%) and the hospital's good reputation (74.1%). Regarding quality-of-care information, patients preferred a summary measure (% patients with ''textbook outcome'') over separate more detailed measures (52.1% v. 38.0%, χ2 = 291, P < 0.01). For future choices, patients intend to use more information items than in 2005-2006, both in absolute terms (9 v. 4 items, t = 38.3, P < 0.01) as relative to the total number of available items (41.3% [40.1%-42.5%] v. 29.2% [28.1%-30.2%]).


CONCLUSIONS
Patients intended to use more information for future choices than they used for past choices. For future choices, most patients prefer a summary measure on quality of care over more detailed measures but seem to value that they were already treated in that hospital or a hospital's good reputation even more.
Dijs-Elsinga
Joyce
J
Department of Medical Decision Making, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.
Otten
Wilma
W
Versluijs
Martine M
MM
Smeets
Harm J
HJ
Kievit
Job
J
Vree
Robbert
R
van der Made
Wendeline J
WJ
Marang-van de Mheen
Perla J
PJ
D000368:Aged; D002755:Choice Behavior; D005260:Female; D013502:General Surgery; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D033181:Information Dissemination; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands; D010358:Patient Participation; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires