[Do the complaints of primary care users vary with the care model?].

OBJECTIVES

1. To compare the traditional model (TM) and Primary Care teams (PCTs) on the index of complaints. 2. To determine whether the reasons for complaints vary with the care model.

DESIGN

An observational, cross-sectional study.

SETTING

Primary Care Area 4, INSALUD, Madrid, covering 526,987 inhabitants.

PARTICIPANTS

The complaints presented at PC Centres during 1993 were included. Those presented for reasons not concerning the centre were excluded. In all, 448 complaints were studied.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

Significant differences were found in the general index of complaints according to the care model. Statistically significant differences were detected between PCT and the TM for complaints due to disagreement with the treatment and disagreement with the follow-up procedures.

CONCLUSIONS

Since the indicators of prescription profiles and the following of procedures are better in PCTs than in the TM, perhaps patients should be encouraged to participate more in the taking of clinical decisions. This would help the introduction of improvements both in the technical quality of treatment and in the follow-up of chronic diseases to be perceived as such by patients. At present, as this study suggests, they are causes of greater dissatisfaction.