Altijd dezelfde huisarts?: een onderzoek naar wens en waardering van patiënten.

Introduction: Because of changes in the organisation of general practices, patients are not sure of seeing the same person each time they contact the GP. But is this what they want? What is the everyday reality? And does this lead to satisfied patients? Methods: We used data from general practices participating in the Second Dutch National Survey on General Practice in 2001. About 9300 patients (> 18 years) completed questions on the importance of seeing the same GP during every contact. They also stated the extent to which this represented reality. After a contact with the GP about 2700 patients valued their satisfaction with the GP. Results: More than two-thirds of all patients see the same GP at every contact. Three-quarters of the patients think it is important to see the same GP at every visit. The following find it more important than do the rest: females, patients living alone or with one other person, old age pensioners, patients with ill health, patients with chronic ailments, patients with psychological prob-lems, patients with acute complaints, and patients who have a high level of trust in their GP. Patients are very satisfied with their GP. It does not matter whether they know each other very well or not. Conclusion: Most patients find it very important to have contact with the same GP at every visit. Whether this happens partially or not at all, all patients stated that they were very satisfied with the GP they last visited.(aut. ref.