Abstract

MOTILLA FRAILE, Miriam et al. What qualities do patients value more in a Family Doctor?. Rev Clin Med Fam [online]. 2009, vol.2, n.6, pp.263-268. ISSN 2386-8201.

Objective. To determine what qualities patients value most in a Family Doctor and to what extent their doctors meet these expectations. Design. Cross sectional, descriptive study. Setting. Primary care. Toledo. Participants. Patients over 14 years old, selected by a random sampling method. Main measurements. An ad hoc telephone survey with items on the characteristics of a doctor and compliance to them, measured on a scale of 1 to 10. Socio-demographic variables, chronic diseases and use of doctors’ surgeries were also recorded. Results. A total of 161 patients with a mean age of 42.5 years were interviewed. 55.7% were women. 69,7% had a chronic disease. 38,6% had visited their doctor in the last month, whilst 90.4% had done so in the last year. The most valued characteristics were ‘reliability’ and ‘respectful treatment’; the least valued were "participation in making decisions" and "agreeing to tests requested by the patients". "Respectful treatment" and "reliability" were the characteristics that most met the patients’ expectations. Conclusions. The use of doctors’ surgeries is very high in our area. The patients valued qualities of a "personal nature" more than technical or organisational qualities. Participation in the decision making process was less valued. In general doctors in the Toledo health area met patients’ expectation as regards personal characteristics.

Keywords : Patient Satisfaction; Family Practice.

        · abstract in Spanish     · text in Spanish     · Spanish ( pdf )