title: What matters in the patients' decision to revisit the same primary care physician?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the priority of various aspects of the patient-primary care physician relationship in the decision to visit again that same physician. STUDY SETTINGS: A total of 400 community residents in Ras Beirut, Lebanon.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional community based study sampled by a nonrandom sex-education quota-based procedure.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were asked to fill a survey where they indicated the ranking of nine items by importance in their decision to revisit the same physician. The nine items were chosen from three categories of factors: professional expertise of the physician; characteristics of the patient-physician relationship, office organization.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Having a physician that gives the patient adequate time for discussion prevailed as rank 1 and luxurious clinic ranked as 9th. Affordability was one of the main concerns among men, those with poor health and those of lower socioeconomic status. Accessibility of the physician's phone was considered highly important among women and those of lesser education status.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study emphasizes the importance of adequate time with the patient, accessibility and affordability of the physician in maintaining continuity of care and patient satisfaction, beyond mere medical expertise.
authors: Jumana M
authors: JM
authors: Antoun
authors: Ghassan N
authors: GN
authors: Hamadeh
authors: Salim M
authors: SM
authors: Adib
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002755:Choice Behavior; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D007861:Lebanon; D008297:Male; D057240:Patient Preference; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011320:Primary Health Care; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult