Report: Patients’ Perceptions of Doctors Vary Across California
California patients' perceptions of their doctors vary by region, according to new report released by Consumer Reports, the Sacramento Business Journal reports (Robertson, Sacramento Business Journal, 1/7).
The report is based on data provided by the California Healthcare Performance Information System. Findings are posted on a website created by the California HealthCare Foundation, which publishes California Healthline (CHPIS release, 1/8).
Details of Report
For the report -- which will be published in full in the February issue of Consumer Reports -- CHPIS surveyed more than 52,000 Californians with private coverage. The responses covered more than 170 physician groups, accounting for about 90% of the health care provided to state residents (Terhune, Los Angeles Times, 1/7).
Among other things, patients were asked about whether their providers:
- Listen carefully;
- Provide easy-to-understand information; and
- Respect what they say (Sacramento Business Journal, 1/7).
Physician groups were scored on a 100-point scale (Los Angeles Times, 1/7).
Findings
Statewide, the survey found that:
- 26% of respondents said their doctor did not spend enough time with them (CHPIS release, 1/8);
- 37% said they were always seen by their physicians within 15 minutes of their scheduled appointment time;
- 40% said they could not always get an immediate appointment (Los Angeles Times, 1/7);
- 54% said their doctor was always updated with the care patients had received from other physicians;
- 62% said the front-office staff was always helpful; and
- 63% said someone always followed up with them with results of blood tests (CHPIS release, 1/8).
The results varied by region. For example, the data show that one in four physician groups in the Bay Area received a score of 70 or higher, compared with just one in 23 physician groups in East Los Angeles and one in 24 in Riverside and San Bernardino counties (Los Angeles Times, 1/7).
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