An HMO survey on mass customization of healthcare delivery for women

A telephone survey of 1,000 randomly selected women members of Kaiser Permanente examined preferences for care delivery. The majority of women under age 55 (80%) were interested in scheduling evening or Saturday appointments, and half (50%) of them were willing to switch doctors for this option. Although most (57%) said that physician gender 'did not matter,' women who preferred to see a female physician but were seeing a male were significantly less satisfied than women whose preferences were matched. Half (51%) of women were open to receiving health education in group classes. Information on when care is preferred, by whom, and in what setting sets the stage for mass customization strategies.