What's important in choosing a primary care physician: an analysis of consumer response.

Given the growth of health maintenance organizations and preferred physician organizations, the purpose of this study was to determine the salient factors considered when choosing a primary care physician. A list of informational items about physicians not normally included in provider directories but which were indicated by the literature to be important were included in the survey instrument. Employees of a major state university in a south-western state were surveyed. Results indicated that at the point of selection, the degree of patient satisfaction with the quality of care received and the accessibility of the physician were the two most relevant factors that impacted the choice of a physician. Other factors considered important included interpersonal skills and competence.