Relationship of disability prevention to patient health status and satisfaction with primary care provider.

A sample of 625 patients aged 18 to 65 with primary care visits was used to explore the relationship of disability prevention to patient health status and satisfaction with health care provider. Disability prevention and the patient-provider relationship, the latter a potential mediating factor, were measured using reliable and valid scales. The joint effects of disability prevention and a strong patient-provider relationship were associated with decreased risks for poor physical health, as measured by the Medical Outcomes Study 12-item short-form health survey, decreased restricted activity days, and overall satisfaction with their primary care provider. Patient-provider relationship was independently associated with increased patient satisfaction with the provider overall and endorsement of the provider to family or friends. The evidence questions the conventional wisdom among some primary care providers that incorporating disability prevention principles into their daily practice jeopardizes patient satisfaction. These results suggest that primary care providers with strong patient-provider relationships can successfully add disability prevention to their practice.