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BMC Primary Care
Published in: BMC Primary Care 1/2024

Open Access 01-12-2024 | Research

Patients’ expectations of primary health care from both patients’ and physicians’ perspectives: a questionnaire study with a qualitative approach

Authors: Andreas Oster, Eivor Wiking, Gunnar H Nilsson, Christina B Olsson

Published in: BMC Primary Care | Issue 1/2024

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Abstract

Background

Patients’ ideas, concerns, and expectations are three important concepts in consultation techniques. Limited studies on these concepts include responses from both health care providers and care recipients of the same consultation. Highlighting both perspectives provides an increased understanding of the consultation. This study aims to explore the perspectives of patients and health care professionals about patients’ expectations of primary health care during consultations with primary care physicians and compare the two sets of perspectives.

Methods

A cross-sectional study. Patients (n = 113) and physicians (n = 67) from five primary health care centers completed a questionnaire after planned consultations. Their responses to open-ended questions about patients’ expectations, from patients’ and physicians’ perspectives were analyzed with qualitative content analyses.

Results

The patients expected a personal journey, through the primary health care system where they were the subject of interest. A journey, with ready access to a health care provider followed by a consultation with the physician, medical measures administered, their outcomes discussed, and a plan developed for continued health care. The physicians observed patients’ expectations to concern the responsibilities placed on primary health care where patients were the object of interest. Patients’ short-term expectations were described in a similar way by both patients and physicians. Patients expressed their long-term expectations as more personal and interpersonal whereas physicians observed them from a more professional and organizational standpoint.

Conclusions

Patients and physicians have different views of what patients expect of primary health care. While patients’ short-term expectations were perceived by physicians, their long-term expectations were not. Patients expected more of a personal journey through the primary health care system while physicians observed patients’ expectations to concern the responsibilities placed on primary health care. Identifying and meeting patients’ expectations is an important part of patient-centered care, and a better understanding of patients’ expectations is needed to improve health professionals’ consultation skills.
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Metadata
Title
Patients’ expectations of primary health care from both patients’ and physicians’ perspectives: a questionnaire study with a qualitative approach
Authors
Andreas Oster
Eivor Wiking
Gunnar H Nilsson
Christina B Olsson
Publication date
01-12-2024
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Primary Care / Issue 1/2024
Electronic ISSN: 2731-4553
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12875-024-02389-2

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