Patients' preferences for technical versus interpersonal quality when selecting a primary care physician

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Consumer Health Informatics
• Patient Decision Making

Background:

• Selecting a primary care provider (PCP) involves evaluating various quality aspects.
• Computerized health care report cards offer a tool for patients to assess provider information.
• Understanding patient preferences for technical versus interpersonal quality is crucial for effective report card design.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate patient preferences for technical and interpersonal quality information when choosing a primary care provider (PCP) using simulated report cards.
• To assess how patients utilize computerized report cards for PCP selection.

Main Methods:

• Data collected from 304 adult consumers in Los Angeles County.
• Participants used simulated computerized report cards for hypothetical PCPs.
• An ordered logit model analyzed the relationship between patient characteristics and preferences for technical quality.

Main Results:

• Two-thirds of participants prioritized higher technical quality when presented with tradeoffs.
• A substantial proportion showed a preference for high interpersonal quality.
• Demographic factors like age, gender, and ethnicity did not significantly predict preferences for technical quality.

Conclusions:

• Patients exhibit a strong preference for high technical quality but also value interpersonal skills.
• Comprehensive report cards detailing both technical and interpersonal quality are essential for patient decision-making.
• Future report card designs should balance information on both quality domains to best serve patient needs.