Patient perceptions of general practitioner fees

Area of Science:

• Health economics
• Primary care services
• Patient satisfaction

Background:

• General practitioner (GP) fees represent a significant out-of-pocket expense for families accessing primary care.
• Understanding patient perceptions of GP fees is crucial for assessing healthcare accessibility and affordability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To survey general practitioner fees paid by families with eleven-year-old children.
• To assess patient opinions on the reasonableness of current GP consultation fees.
• To analyze trends in GP fees and their relationship with patient dissatisfaction.

Main Methods:

• A survey was conducted among 1033 families with eleven-year-old children.
• Data collected included median fees paid for child and adult consultations.
• Patient estimates of reasonable fees were compared with actual fees charged.

Main Results:

• Median GP fees were $12.00 for child consultations and $22.00 for adult consultations.
• A majority of respondents found these fees to be too high, particularly adult fees (over two-thirds).
• Patient-estimated reasonable fees were $8.00 for child and $15.00 for adult consultations.
• A direct correlation was observed between higher fee levels and increased perception of fees being too high.
• Child GP fees demonstrated an average annual increase of 24% between 1980 and 1988.

Conclusions:

• Significant dissatisfaction exists among patients regarding current general practitioner fees.
• The substantial increase in GP fees over time likely contributes to patient concerns about affordability.
• Findings have implications for health care delivery, policy, and patient access to primary care services.