Acceptability of Components for a Mandatory Quality Improvement Framework: A Survey Among Swiss General Practitioners.

BACKGROUND

In Switzerland, recently introduced legislation requires the implementation of a framework for mandatory quality improvement at the level of individual general practitioners (GPs) and includes the introduction of quality indicators (QIs) amongst other components. The GP-sided acceptance of potential components of such a framework is important to its success.

OBJECTIVES

To identify components of a potential framework for mandatory quality improvement that are most likely to be accepted by Swiss GPs.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional web-based survey conducted among employed and self-employed Swiss GPs in 2024.

METHODS

The survey was distributed to 1103 Swiss GPs via their physician networks. The survey inquired the acceptability of 62 possible components of a mandatory framework for quality improvement. Components were categorized as "acceptable" if they were rated as "acceptable" or "very acceptable" by more than 50% of participants, in contrast to those rated as "neutral" or "not acceptable."

RESULTS

A total of 244 GPs participated (participation rate 22.1%, 53.0% male, 51.2% <50 years old, 50.8% employed). The majority of participants rated 31 of the proposed 62 components as acceptable. Among these were QIs pertaining to structures and processes of care (rated as acceptable by 58.3%-83.4%) and sharing QI achievement data with peers from different group practices and physician networks (53.9%-92.2%). A majority of participants accepted physician networks, medical associations, and academic institutions as entities that could establish QIs and manage QI data (acceptance 62.1%-88.8%).

CONCLUSIONS

Swiss GPs appear to accept QIs that reflect structures and processes of care established by physician networks, medical associations or academic institutions, exclusively shared among their peers.