The effect of characteristics of patient on satisfaction with medical care rendered by general practitioner and district therapist

Abstract

The patient satisfaction is one of the key criteria of quality of medical care and indicator of patient-oriented approach and factor determining competitiveness of medical organization. The purpose of the study - the comparative analysis of patient satisfaction with primary health care provided by general practitioner and district physician, taking into account their gender, age characteristics, frequency and goals of visiting polyclinic. Sociological study was carried out on the basis of out-patient medical organizations in Moscow, Kemerovo and Belgorod. The final analysis included 415 questionnaires of respondents aged 18 years and older. The patients with different rate and purposes of visiting medical institution are equally satisfied with medical care provided by general practitioner and district physician. The satisfaction with general practitioner may have gender characteristics. The satisfaction with district physician may have age characteristics. The satisfaction with both specialists may depend on health status of patient. The model of providing primary health care according to principle of general practitioner may be more universal, while according to principle of district physician more acceptable for elder patients. In order to increase satisfaction with primary health care for all categories of patients, it is necessary to consolidate best organizational approaches of both models.