title: A Discrete Choice Experiment to Examine the Preferences of Patients With Cancer and Their Willingness to Pay for Different Types of Health Care Appointments.
abstract: This study sought to understand the preferences of patients with cancer and the trade-offs between appointment attributes using discrete choice experiment (DCE).
  
  
  
  Patients with cancer at 3 hospitals completed a self-administered DCE. Each scenario described 6 attributes: expertise of health care professionals (HCPs), familiarity of doctors with patients' medical history, waiting time, accompaniment by family/friends, travel time, and out-of-pocket costs. Patient preferences were estimated using logistic regression. Willingness to pay (WTP) estimates were derived from regression coefficients.
  
  
  
  Of 512 patients contacted, 185 returned the questionnaire. The mean age was 61 years, and 60% of respondents were female. The mean time since cancer diagnosis was 34 months, 90% had received treatment; and 61% had early-stage disease. The most important attributes were expertise and familiarity of doctors with patients' medical history; distance traveled was least likely to influence patient preferences. The WTP analysis estimated that patients were willing to pay $680 (95% CI, 470-891) for an appointment with a specialist, $571 (95% CI, 388-754) for doctors familiar with their history, $422 (95% CI, 262-582) for shorter waiting times, $399 (95% CI, 249-549) to be accompanied by family/friends, and $301 (95% CI, 162-441) for shorter traveling times. Male patients had a stronger preference for accompaniment by family/friends. The expertise of HCP was the most important attribute for patients regardless of geographic remoteness.
  
  
  
  Our study can assist the development of patient-centered health care models that improve patient access to experienced HCPs, support the role of primary care providers during the cancer journey, and educate patients about the roles of non-oncology HCPs to cope with increasing demand for cancer care.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University Hospital Geelong, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia|Andrew Love Cancer Centre, University Hospital Geelong, Geelong, Australia
authors.forename: Shu Fen
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Curtin University, Perth, Australia
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Norman
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing and Midwifery, University Hospital Geelong, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia
authors.forename: Trisha Lynette
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Dunning
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University Hospital Geelong, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia|Andrew Love Cancer Centre, University Hospital Geelong, Geelong, Australia
authors.forename: David Michael
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Ashley
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University Hospital Geelong, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Khasraw
authors.affiliation: St John of God Hospital, Warrnambool, Australia
authors.forename: Theresa Margaret
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Hayes
authors.affiliation: The Greater Green Triangle Clinical School, Deakin University School of Medicine, Warrnambool, Australia
authors.forename: Ian
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Collins
authors.affiliation: Centre of Health Economics, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
authors.forename: Paula Kate
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Lorgelly
mesh_terms: D001071:Appointments and Schedules; D002755:Choice Behavior; D005260:Female; D005102:Health Expenditures / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000191:economics / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D057240:Patient Preference / Q000523:psychology*; D018802:Patient-Centered Care; D058007:Physicians, Primary Care; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires