title: Assessing the influence of switching barriers on patients' expectations and tolerance zone.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this paper is to look at the influence of switching barriers on patients' private general practitioner (GP) service expectations and tolerance zone
  
  
  METHODS
  From 750 questionnaires distributed to a convenience sample, 257 were completed and returned, yielding a 34 per cent response rate.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a significant association between switching barriers and what patients expected from their GPs. Switching barriers did not have a significant association with the tolerance zone.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Private GPs can develop strategies to overcome switching barriers. For example, they can develop personal relationships with their patients, re-familiarise themselves with the patient's medical history before the consultation and provide better services to patients who perceive high switching barriers and hence higher adequate expectations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study contributes to the existing literature relating to healthcare service quality.
authors.affiliation: School of Management and Marketing, CQ University, Rockhampton, Australia.
authors.forename: Rooma Roshnee
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Ramsaran-Fowdar
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D005260:Female; D058005:General Practitioners / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008436:Mauritius; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010465:Perception; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011787:Quality of Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*