Consumer satisfaction with primary care provider choice and associated trust

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Consumer Behavior in Healthcare
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Managed care models often limit provider choice, potentially eroding patient trust.
• Provider choice is a critical factor strongly linked to patient trust in physicians.
• Competing stakeholder interests exist in healthcare markets regarding patient choice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze variables associated with consumer satisfaction regarding primary care provider (PCP) choice.
• To determine the importance of these variables in relation to overall provider trust.

Main Methods:

• Secondary analysis of a 1999 national cross-sectional telephone survey of US households.
• Sample included 564 adults (≥20 years) who had seen a medical professional at least twice in two years.
• Linear and logistic regressions were performed using a previously developed conceptual framework.

Main Results:

• Satisfaction with the amount of PCP choice was significantly associated with provider trust (p < .001).
• 'PCP's care being extremely effective' strongly correlated with both choice satisfaction and provider trust.
• Seeking a second opinion was linked to lower provider trust; satisfaction with insurer and network-based cost savings also influenced choice satisfaction.

Conclusions:

• Satisfaction with PCP choice is a strong predictor of provider trust.
• Seeking a second opinion may signal underlying distrust in the chosen provider.
• Future research should explore the role of general provider trust and performance information in PCP choice.