Patients seeking care during acute illness. Why do they not see their regular physicians?

OBJECTIVE

To identify factors that predict whether patients prefer seeing their regular physicians and whether they do see their regular physicians during acute illness.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional, population-based telephone survey.

SETTING

Urban areas in southern Ontario.

PARTICIPANTS

Random sample of 304 people who had regular physicians, insurance coverage, and had last seen a physician for acute illness. Of the 304, 256 (84.2%) preferred seeing their regular physicians during acute illness, and 48 (15.8%) did not. Of those who preferred seeing their regular physicians, 131 (51.2%) did see their regular physicians, 125 (48.8%) did not

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Preference for seeing regular physician and seeing regular physician during acute illness.

RESULTS

Multiple logistic regression found that believing continuity of care was important and traveling further increased, while recent hospitalization and difficulty seeing physicians during or after office hours decreased, the likelihood of actually seeing their regular physicians.

CONCLUSION

Almost half the patients who preferred seeing their regular physicians for acute illness did not actually see their regular physicians. Improving access to regular physicians might encourage patients to always try to see them.