Primary care physicians' and patients' degree of satisfaction with a new respiratory medicine health care program

• Published in: Archivos de bronconeumología 2003-02, Vol.39 (2), p.57-61
• Main Authors: Plaza, V, Rodríguez Trigo, G, Peiró, M, Fernández, S, Nolla, T, Puig, J, Sanchis, J
• Format: Article
• Language: Spanish
• Subjects: Adult; Ambulatory Care Facilities - organization & administration; Ambulatory Care Facilities - utilization; Attitude of Health Personnel; Cross-Sectional Studies; Data Collection; Humans; Patient Satisfaction - statistics & numerical data; Physicians, Family - psychology; Primary Health Care - organization & administration; Program Evaluation; Pulmonary Medicine - organization & administration; Spain; Surveys and Questionnaires
• ISSN: 0300-2896
• DOI: 10.1157/13043584

No ideal model for coordinating primary care and specialized respiratory medicine has been established. To evaluate primary care physicians' and patients' degree of satisfaction with a new program for coordinating respiratory medicine and primary care. A questionnaire survey of the level of satisfaction with a program combining consultation and direct patient care. The study was carried out at a primary care facility whose staff comprised 31 general practitioners. The respiratory medicine staff consisted of one physician and two nurses from the reference hospital. A questionnaire to determine the physicians' and patients' satisfaction with the program asked for a) overall evaluation on a scale of 0 to 10; b) evaluation on a scale naming five levels from "very bad" to "very good", and c) comparison of the new program with previous ones. One thousand one hundred seventy patients were seen in 12 months; 663 (57%) received a first visit, 400 (34%) received a second visit, and 107 (9%) received emergency care. The level of satisfaction was 7.8 (1.2) among physicians and 8.7 (1.5) among patients (p = 0.030); 97% of the physicians and 94% of the patients described the program as "very good" or "good". According to 100% of the physicians and 64% of the patients, the new program was better than the old one (p = 0.110). The coordinated care plan proposed is accepted by most physicians and patients and uses primary respiratory medicine resources more efficiently.