Both patients and healthcare providers believe issues exist within the U.S. healthcare system and cite concerns over care quality, according to a survey conducted by West and Kelton Global.
For the survey, researchers polled 1,010 consumers in March and 138 healthcare professionals in April on their perceptions of healthcare quality and the U.S. healthcare system.
Here are nine survey findings.
- Ninety-six percent of patients believed there are problems with the U.S. healthcare system.
- Forty-eight percent of providers "somewhat agreed" the U.S. healthcare system does not make patients feel they are receiving the best possible care. Nineteen percent of providers "strongly agreed" with this assertion.
- When asked to describe their feelings about U.S. healthcare, 43 percent of patients felt "frustrated," 38 percent felt "disappointed" and 29 percent felt "stressed."
- A majority (85 percent) of both patients and providers believed healthcare costs are disproportionately high compared to care quality.
- Forty-two percent of healthcare professionals and 37 percent of patients said quality is one of the biggest issues in healthcare today.
- Sixty-seven percent of patients said they consider quality when selecting a healthcare provider, and 65 percent considered the same when choosing a healthcare facility.
- Most providers (96 percent) expressed frustration about patients not taking enough responsibility for their own healthcare.
- Sixty-three percent of patients said their provider pays more attention to treating illnesses than to preventing them.
- Eighty percent of patients said their health did not improve last year.
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