title: Patient satisfaction with family practice in Turkey: Three-year trend from 2010 to 2012.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  After the health reform in 2003, a need emerged to monitor patient satisfaction in Turkey.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate patient satisfaction with family practice in Turkey and compare with some other European countries.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was performed on a countrywide representative sample from all the 81 provinces of Turkey. Data were collected during the years 2010-2012 from patients visiting family practice centres. A three-year repeated cross-sectional study was conducted using the EUROPEP instrument. Twenty-six questions with a five-point Likert scale were applied. Primary outcome measures of the study were the mean EUROPEP scores (min. 1, max. 5).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean (± SD) EUROPEP scores for the years 2010 (n = 34 472), 2011 (n = 34 764), and 2012 (n = 32 667) were 4.09 ± 0.77, 4.29 ± 0.59, and 4.42 ± 0.54 respectively (F = 1565.37; P < 0.001). The mean satisfaction percentage was calculated as 88.3%. Areas of lowest satisfaction were 'Being able to speak to the GP on the telephone,' 'Getting through to the practice on the phone,' and 'Physical conditions of the family practice.'
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although in small increments, patient satisfaction with family practices in Turkey has increased during the last few years.
authors.affiliation: a Atatürk University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Family Medicine , Erzuru , Turkey.
authors.forename: Zekeriya
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Aktürk
authors.affiliation: b Ministry of Health, General Directorate for Health Research , Ankara , Turkey.
authors.forename: Derya
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ateşoğlu
authors.affiliation: b Ministry of Health, General Directorate for Health Research , Ankara , Turkey.
authors.forename: Esra
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Çiftçi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D005194:Family Practice; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D058996:Quality Improvement; D012424:Rural Population; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014421:Turkey; D014505:Urban Population; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: EUROPEP; Primary care; family practice; patient satisfaction; quality improvement