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Assessing quality of healthcare delivery when making choices: National survey on health consumers' decision making practices

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journal contribution
posted on 2021-02-01, 00:00 authored by M Avery, A Cripps, Gary RogersGary Rogers
Objective: Choices and quality decisions made by consumers in relation to their healthcare have been associated with personal experience of those services, interpersonal engagement and reliance on third-party information, as well as the subsequent satisfaction with the service. The purpose of this research was to understand current information sources, determinants of quality discernment and decision-making factors by consumers in the Australian community in relation to healthcare. Method:  Conventional content analysis research was undertaken in the form of a national telephone survey of 200 consumers. Open-ended questions were used to elicit information from the general community. Results: Reputation and other key interpersonal and structural elements are utilised in determining quality of healthcare services as well as in deployment as key factors in decision-making regarding use of healthcare services. While most respondents valued and used key information about provider relationships, outcomes performance and performance rankings, up to 20% of respondents did not know or could not identify ways in which they would assess and evaluate the quality of healthcare services. Conclusion: This research identifies that consumers use a range of information and advice relating to experience, interpersonal engagement and information from third-party sources. If healthcare providers develop clearer communications around their technical, procedural and conduct principles, consumers will be in a better position to evaluate reputation and make decisions about their healthcare needs and the health system.

History

Journal

Asia Pacific Journal of Health Management

Volume

16

Article number

ARTN i599

Pagination

11-20

Location

North Ryde, N.S.W.

Open access

  • Yes

ISSN

1833-3818

eISSN

2204-3136

Language

English

Publication classification

C1 Refereed article in a scholarly journal

Issue

1

Publisher

AUSTRALIAN COLL HEALTH SERVICE MANAGEMENT