Mean (SE) level of patients’ experiences of the core dimensions of primary care at baseline and 18 mo after FMG constitution
| ASPECT OF CARE | PATIENTS’ LEVEL OF EXPERIENCE, MEAN (SE) | PATIENTS WHO RATED CARE EQUAL TO OR HIGHER THAN THE MINIMUM EXPECTED CARE LEVEL, % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BASELINE | 18 MO AFTER FMG CONSTITUTION | BASELINE | 18 MO AFTER FMG CONSTITUTION | |
| Concentration of care, % visits | ||||
| • Percent of FMG visits to registered physician | 77.2 (2.44) | 74.0 (2.47)* | NA | NA |
| • Percent of all ambulatory visits to FMG | 87.2 (1.80) | 85.0 (1.82)† | NA | NA |
| Continuity‡ | ||||
| • Relational continuity | 3.49 (0.04) | 3.55 (0.04)§ | 84.2 | 86.0 |
| • Information continuity | 3.33 (0.06) | 3.43 (0.06)§ | 87.0 | 90.2† |
| Organizational accessibility|| | 4.53 (0.17) | 4.51 (0.17) | 56.4 | 55.9 |
| Service responsiveness toward patients|| | ||||
| • Patients’ perceptions of personnel’s attitude and efficiency and of waiting time | 4.86 (0.11) | 4.84 (0.11) | 72.7 | 71.5 |
| First-contact accessibility‡ | ||||
| • Face-to-face | 2.27 (0.22) | 2.30 (0.22) | 23.0 | 25.3 |
| • By telephone | 2.74 (0.13) | 2.78 (0.13) | 47.0 | 48.9 |
| Care coordination‡ | ||||
| • Physician-nurse coordination | 3.06 (0.10) | 3.16 (0.10)† | 53.5 | 59.8 |
| • PCP-specialist coordination | 3.21 (0.04) | 3.15 (0.04) | 69.0 | 63.6* |
| Intra-FMG collaboration¶ | 3.34 (0.02) | 3.34 (0.02) | 85.0 | 84.4 |
| Patients’ perceptions of FMGs‡ | ||||
| • Had enough information about FMGs | 2.79 (0.12) | 3.04 (0.12)§ | 64.9 | 73.8§ |
| • More advantages to FMGs than disadvantages | 3.27 (0.12) | 3.28 (0.12) | 82.0 | 81.3 |
FMG—family medicine group, PCP—primary care physician.
↵* Significant difference before and after FMG constitution (P < .01).
↵† Significant difference before and after FMG constitution (P < .05).
↵‡ A score of 1 = definitely not, 2 = probably not, 3 = probably, and 4 = definitely; minimum expected care level of 3.
↵§ Significant difference before and after FMG constitution (P < .001).
↵|| A score of 1 = very low, 2 = low, 3 = fair, 4 = good, 5 = very good, and 6 = excellent; minimum expected care level of 4.5.
↵¶ A score of 1 = never, 2 = rarely, 3 = often, and 4 = always; minimum expected care level of 3.