Dissatisfaction in general practice: what do patients really want?

In 31 general practices in Adelaide, approximately 100 consecutive adult patients aged 15-64 years completed a 21-item questionnaire that related to their dissatisfaction with aspects of the care that was provided in the practice. Fourteen of the practices were "solo" practices, five practices were two-person partnerships and 12 practices involved three or more partners. The 21 items divided naturally into five groups: "architecture", "receptionists", "accessibility", "quality" and "communication". Factor analysis of the responses provided support for the idea that "receptionists", "accessibility" and "communication" were independent issues for the respondents and that "quality" was less discrete and was embedded in a factor which we have labelled "mechanics". For nearly all items, the mean dissatisfaction values for the practices were greatest in the larger practices and least in the two-person practices, with solo practices occupying an intermediate position. The main dissatisfaction related to accessibility and communication. These issues are explored in the light of current trends in the organization of primary medical care.