The accessibility and acceptability of services provided by district primary healthcare unites: the patients’ perspective

Introduction. The reorganization of the network of primary healthcare (PHC) institutions is aimed at the improvement of the accessibility, acceptability, and quality of healthcare services. For this reason, periodical investigations of the patients’ attitude towards the accessibility and acceptability of healthcare services to various social groups are relevant. The aim of the study was to determine and evaluate patients’ attitudes towards the accessibility and acceptability of healthcare services in Varėna district primary healthcare unit, and to evaluate the relationships of these attitudes with socio-demographic factors. The methods of the study. During the period of March 1, 2003 to March 10, 2006, we performed an anonymous questionnaire-based inquiry of patients at Public institution Varėna PHC center. The participants of the inquiry were patients who visited Public institution Varėna PHC center (patients living in the city) and its branch offices (patients living in the countryside). In total, 280 questionnaires were distributed, 208 of which were returned (the response rate was 74%). Statistical analysis of the obtained data was performed using the SPSS v. 9 software package. Results. The main motive for the choice of the family physician was the physician’s professionalism, knowledge, and experience (72.6% of answers). The territorial, financial, organizational, and informational accessibility of services at the PHC center was better than in its branch offices. All patients (100%) of the PHC center reached the institution within one hour, whereas the respective percentage of patients of the branch offices was only 54.1% (p<0.05). 32.3% of the patients of the PHC center were financially capable of purchasing medications, compared to only 15.6% of the patients of the branch offices (p<0.05). 11.1% of the patients of the PHC center and 26.6% of the patients of the branch offices had to wait for over 15 minutes at the registry office (p<0.05); the percentage of patients who had to wait for over 2 hours until admission to the physician’s office at the PHC center and in the branch offices was, accordingly, 3.0% and 9.2% (p