RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Preference for a general practitioner and patients' evaluations of care: a cross-sectional study
JF British Journal of General Practice
JO Br J Gen Pract
FD British Journal of General Practice
SP 693
OP 694
VO 54
IS 506
A1 Henk Schers
A1 Henk van den Hoogen
A1 Hans Bor
A1 Richard Grol
A1 Wil van den Bosch
YR 2004
UL http://bjgp.org/content/54/506/693.abstract
AB Personal continuity is no longer always evident in general practice. Changes in society and in general practice seem to have shifted away from an emphasis on personal patient–doctor relationships. We studied how patients' lack of preference for a particular general practitioner (GP) or preference for a different GP is related to patients' evaluations of care. Patients who were indifferent to the GP seen, and patients who would have preferred another GP, evaluated consultations significantly less positively than patients who saw their GP of preference. Developments towards less personal doctoring in general practice should, therefore, be considered carefully.