Choosing a Specialist: An Explanatory Study of Factors Influencing Patients in Choosing a Urologist

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Abstract

Objectives: While research on doctor-patient interaction has often focused on the decision-making abilities of physicians, it rarely centers around the question of how patients choose their respective practitioners. Research on fundamental decision processes is of high importance and understanding the factors that influence people’s choices in real-life decision-making would potentially provide patients, and physicians alike, with the means to provide better resources to achieve greater satisfaction from visits to a medical practitioner. Methods: At our tertiary referral center, patients were given the opportunity to voluntarily participate in our survey. We collected questionnaires from 1,002 patients during their visit from November 2018 to February 2020. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS V26.0 software (SPSS Statistics, Version 26.0.; IBM, Armonk, NY, USA). Results are reported as percentages for categorial variables. Results: Our patient cohort consisted of a higher percentage of men than of women (82 vs. 18%) with significantly more men having a university-based education (44 vs. 31%; p = 0.001). Women were more likely to have statutory health insurance than men (85 vs. 74%; p = 0.013). Men significantly preferred to be treated by a doctor of the same sex (24 vs. 8%; p < 0.001), which significantly increased with age. Overall, more women than men trusted a referral by their primary care physician (75 vs. 66%, p = 0.017), while preference of a higher academic degree in the attending urologist was significantly correlated with the patients’ education. Conclusions: Information on a specialist, such as professional qualifications and academic accomplishments, is easily accessible to patients with or without access to the Internet. However, recommendations and referrals, in addition to consistent care by the same treating physician, seem to be of high importance to all patients, regardless of gender or age.

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Good practice in the conduct and reporting of survey research.

K. Kelley (2003)

Survey research is sometimes regarded as an easy research approach. However, as with any other research approach and method, it is easy to conduct a survey of poor quality rather than one of high quality and real value. This paper provides a checklist of good practice in the conduct and reporting of survey research. Its purpose is to assist the novice researcher to produce survey work to a high standard, meaning a standard at which the results will be regarded as credible. The paper first provides an overview of the approach and then guides the reader step-by-step through the processes of data collection, data analysis, and reporting. It is not intended to provide a manual of how to conduct a survey, but rather to identify common pitfalls and oversights to be avoided by researchers if their work is to be valid and credible.

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Search behavior and choice of physician in the market for prenatal care.

Daryl Howard, Thomas J. Hoerger (1995)

The authors examine how 963 expectant mothers in Florida searched for and selected a prenatal care provider. Overall, the results suggest that women search for prenatal care in much the same way as search theory predicts. Nevertheless, the amount of search reported is surprisingly small. Less than a quarter of the women in the survey seriously considered more than one physician, and even among this group, less than 60% actually spoke to or visited a second physician. Because of the timing, importance, and relative frequency of pregnancy, it is probably easier to search for a prenatal care provider than it is to search for most other medical services. Consequently, if search is this uncommon for prenatal care providers, it is probably even less common for other procedures. As they search for and choose a prenatal care provider, pregnant women rely most heavily on information from friends and acquaintances. Women facing high coinsurance rates or whose choices are constrained by HMO or Medicaid coverage rely less on recommendations from friends and acquaintances. These women also appear less satisfied with their choice of prenatal care provider.