HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Supplemental data: Appendix In Brief TRACK Comments: Submit a response TRACK Comments: View responses Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when TRACK Comments are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Howard, M. Articles by Morris, K. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Howard, M. Articles by Morris, K.

Patient Satisfaction With Care for Urgent Health Problems: A Survey of Family Practice Patients

¹ Department of Family Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
² Northern Ontario School of Medicine, Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada
³ Center for Health Economics and Policy Analysis, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

CORRESPONDING AUTHOR: Michelle Howard, MSc, PhD, Department of Family Medicine, McMaster University, 75 Frid St, Hamilton, ON L8P 4M3, mhoward{at}mcmaster.ca

PURPOSE Patient satisfaction is an important health care outcome. This study compared patients’ satisfaction with care received for an urgent health problem from their family physician, at an after-hours clinic in which their physician participated, at a walk-in clinic, at the emergency department, from telephone health advisory services, or from more than 1 of those services.

METHODS We mailed a questionnaire to a random sample of patients from 36 family practices in Thunder Bay, Ontario. We elicited satisfaction with care for the most recent urgent health problem in the past 6 months on a 7-point scale (very dissatisfied to very satisfied).

RESULTS The response rate was 62.3% (5,884 of 9,397). Of the 5,722 eligible patients 1,342 (23.4%) reported an urgent health problem, and data were available for both services used and satisfaction for 1,227 patients. After adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics and self-reported health status, satisfaction with care received for most recent urgent health problem was significantly higher among patients who visited or spoke to their family physician (mean 6.1; 95% confidence interval [CI], 5.8–6.4) compared with all other services (all P <.004, adjusted for multiple comparisons), with the exception of patients who used the after-hours clinic affiliated with their physician, whose satisfaction was not significantly different (mean 5.6; 95% CI, 5.2–6.0).

CONCLUSIONS Satisfaction was highest for patients receiving care from their own family physician or their physician’s after-hours clinic. These results are important for new primary care models that emphasize continuity and after-hours availability of family physicians.

Key Words: Patient satisfaction • family practice • emergency service, hospital • walk-in clinics • ambulatory care facilities • telephone triage • urgent care • after-hours care

This article has been cited by other articles:

				K. C. Stange In This Issue: Risk and Care Management Ann. Fam. Med, September 1, 2007; 5(5): 386 - 386. [Full Text] [PDF]

TRACK Comments: