How the health institution combinative contracting mechanism influences community residents' patient experiences in Shanghai: A comparative study of data from two cross-sectional surveys.

OBJECTIVE

To understand the effect of the health institution combinative contracting mechanism (which make participating residents make a "combinative contracting" involving family doctor of community health center, one secondary hospital, and one tertiary hospital) on community residents' patient experiences in Shanghai, China.

METHODS

We conducted two questionnaire surveys (2016 and 2018) on the patient experiences of 1200 permanent residents of 12 subdistricts of Shanghai, who were selected via stratified random sampling. Of these, 926 participants were included after propensity score matching. We compared five dimensions of patient experience-accessibility, environment and facilities, service attitude and emotional support, communication and patient engagement, and service integration-before and after implementation of the health institution combinative contracting mechanism in June 2016. Furthermore, logistic regression analysis was used to explore the factors related to residents' overall experience.

RESULTS

The health institution combinative contracting mechanism influenced most dimensions of residents' patient experience, such as accessibility, service attitude and emotional support, communication and patient participation, and service integration. The mechanism in general helped contracted residents obtain a better patient experience than before its implementation. Referral had a significant effect on participants' overall experience.

CONCLUSION

Contracted family doctors play active roles in improving nearly every dimension of residents' service experience, as well as their overall experience of services. The health institution combinative contracting mechanism not only increases interaction and strengthens trust between doctors and patients but also makes it possible for residents to obtain integrated health services.