Factors affecting the decision to change the family physician

Background
Some studies on the decision of patients to choose their primary healthcare physician demonstrate that the ability to choose their physician is associated with increased patient satisfaction, confidence in the doctor and quality healthcare.

Objectives
The study was aimed at evaluating factors effecting the decision to change the family physician.

Material and methods
In the study, a questionnaire was used to examine the socio-demographic characteristics of the individuals, and the EUROPEP scale was used to measure the satisfaction with primary health services. Moreover, the Individual Innovativeness Scale was used in order to evaluate the innovativeness of individuals.

Results
In people who apply to change their family physician, satisfaction with the previous family physician was found to be 69%. Distance (52.7%), education (25.8%) and gender (16%) were declared as the most important reasons to change the family physician. An individual’s innovation seeking behavior did not affect on their decisions to change the physician.

Conclusions
In the present study, patient satisfaction was lower than the results reported in previous studies. Distance, education and gender are at the forefront in family physician preference. Patients prioritize receiving service from trained family physicians. These issues should be taken into account while planning the future of family practice.