STUDY ON ACCESSIBILITY TO MEDICAL CARE IN BULGARIA – PATIENT’S OPINION

Abstract

Introduction: The current perception of accessibility to medical care implies a link between accessibility to medical care and quality of life, and focuses on studying patient opinion and assessing accessibility of medical care. The aim of the article is to investigate how patients understand access to medical care through their perception (expectations and attitudes) and what their assessment of access (perceptions of hospital presentation) in the particular situation of using a medical service, hospitalization, through their perception of access. Methods: Direct Anonymous Study of Hospitalized Patients. One component of the Hospital's offer - "Organizing and Internal Order - Accessibility to Allow Hospital Visitation", is assessed in two aspects: from the point of view of patients' accessibility to medical care, which is reflected in the importance and expectations of access and from the point of view of patient assessment for performance through medical service, hospitalization, access, expressed as presentation, performance or perception. Data are processed through a "Cross tabulation analysis" with a Chi-square test". Results: There is a statistically significant correlation between patient perceptions of access and assessment in medical service delivery, as well as a discrepancy between perceived accessibility and assessment of receiving this group of care A - lower expectations, more satisfaction, and group B - higher expectations for less satisfaction. Discussion: The Gap model to measure consumer satisfaction, is used The difference between consumer expectations and consumer experience Individual needs are met with content from the elements of quality of life: employment, well-being, education, dimension and use of leisure and social activity, health. Conclusions: Discrepancy between patient understanding of accessibility to medical care and their assessment is mainly due to the degree of satisfaction of their individual needs in the context of quality of life. The relationship between patients' perceptions and expectations is due to the "individual needs" factor, and their level determines the well-being of the person, which implies that the nature of the "presentation of significance" is of a socio-psychological nature. nature. A modified version of the "Gap" model was prepared, which was applied in the study, adding the new content - the quality of life in the "Individual Needs" section.