The determining factors of patient satisfaction with their health system differ across countries, according to a study in Health Affairs.
Researchers analyzed data from the 2010 Commonwealth Fund International Health Policy Survey to determine the how personal perceptions of the health system in 11 high-income countries relate to overall satisfaction. The 11 countries were Australia, Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Here are two key findings:
• Most countries showed a relationship between overall satisfaction with the health system and perceptions of affordability and effectiveness of care, and with ratings of one's regular physician.
• While some evidence indicated wait times for appointments and diagnosis were associated with dissatisfaction, people's perceptions of these factors accounted for only a small percentage of the variation in overall satisfaction across countries.
"We conclude that 'satisfaction' appears to represent something different in each health system, and that policy makers can nevertheless use this type of analysis to determine priorities for improvement in their own country," the authors wrote.
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Researchers analyzed data from the 2010 Commonwealth Fund International Health Policy Survey to determine the how personal perceptions of the health system in 11 high-income countries relate to overall satisfaction. The 11 countries were Australia, Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Here are two key findings:
• Most countries showed a relationship between overall satisfaction with the health system and perceptions of affordability and effectiveness of care, and with ratings of one's regular physician.
• While some evidence indicated wait times for appointments and diagnosis were associated with dissatisfaction, people's perceptions of these factors accounted for only a small percentage of the variation in overall satisfaction across countries.
"We conclude that 'satisfaction' appears to represent something different in each health system, and that policy makers can nevertheless use this type of analysis to determine priorities for improvement in their own country," the authors wrote.
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