What are patients' expectations about the organization of their primary care physicians' practices?
BACKGROUND
To our knowledge no study has at the same time assessed patients' satisfaction and their expectations concerning the organizational and contextual aspects of health care provided by their primary care physician (PCP). Assessing these aspects is important to inform future primary healthcare service planning. Our objective was thus to document patients' satisfaction with and expectations from their PCP, in terms of availability and organization of their practices, and to assess whether these indicators varied across age groups and type of practice (solo, duo, group).


METHODS
Cross-sectional study based on the answers to questionnaires completed by patients consulting their PCP in Geneva, Switzerland. A random sample of PCPs was asked to recruit consecutively between 50 and 100 patients coming to the practice for a scheduled medical consultation. The patients were asked to complete an anonymous questionnaire centered on their satisfaction levels and expectations towards their PCP.


RESULTS
One thousand six hundred thirty-seven patients agreed to participate (participation rate: 97%, women: 63%, mean age: 54 years). Patient satisfaction was high for all the items, except for the availability of the doctor by phone and for the waiting time in the waiting room. The satisfaction rate increased with age and was higher for small practices. In relation to patients' expectations from their doctor, older patients and patients visiting larger practices tended to be more demanding.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients are generally highly satisfied with their PCP. They have a wide range of expectations which should be taken into account when considering potential improvements.
Primary Care Unit, Faculty of medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland. paulsebo@hotmail.com.
Paul
P
Sebo
Geriatrics Division, Department of Internal Medicine, Rehabilitation and Geriatrics, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland. francois.herrmann@hcuge.ch.
François R
FR
Herrmann
Primary care practice, Lausanne, Switzerland. patrick.bovier@post.harvard.edu.
Patrick
P
Bovier
Primary Care Unit, Faculty of medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland. dagmar.haller-hester@hcuge.ch.|Department of Community, Primary Care and Emergency Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland. dagmar.haller-hester@hcuge.ch.|Department of Pediatrics, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland. dagmar.haller-hester@hcuge.ch.
Dagmar M
DM
Haller
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009938:Organizations; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D058007:Physicians, Primary Care; D011364:Professional Practice / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013557:Switzerland; D055815:Young Adult