Table 3

Patients’ and GPs’ evaluations of care and GPs’ perceptions of patients’ evaluations. Rank orders based on valid percentages evaluating positively as 4 or 5 on a 5 point Likert scale

Patients’ evaluations (n=1772)GPs’ evaluations (n=315)GPs’ perceptions of patients’ evaluations (n=315)
What is your opinion of the GP and/or general practice over the last 12 months with respect to . . .*Rank no (%)Absolute noRank no (%)Absolute noRank no (%)Absolute no
*Stem in the questionnaire for GPs: “What is your own opinion of yourself and/or your general practice over the last 12 months with respect to . . .” and “What is your perception of the opinion of your patients of you and/or your general practice over the last 12 months with respect to . . .”. The word “you” was replaced by “patients” in all 23 items for general practitioners, e.g. “making patients feel they had time during consultations”, so the words “him or her”, “s/he”, “his or her” were replaced by “you” or “your”.
**Dimensions of general practice care: I=doctor-patient relationship (6 items); II=information and support (4 items); III=medical-–technical care (5 items); IV=organisation of services (8 items).
Keeping your records and data confidential? (I)**1 (94.6)14402 (88.9)2791 (85.8)266
Listening to you? (I)2 (88.5)15464 (78.1)2467 (60.3)190
Making you feel you had time during consultations? (I)3 (87.8)15405 (74.0)22312 (52.5)165
Providing quick services for urgent health problems? (IV)4 (85.2)11371 (93.9)2952 (80.6)253
Helpfulness of the staff (other than the doctor)? (IV)5 (83.8)13293 (79.2)2484 (64.4)201
Explaining the purpose of tests and treatments? (II)6 (83.3)133111 (66.6)20911 (53.0)166
Telling you what you wanted to know about your symptoms and/or illness? (II)7 (82.7)139910 (67.2)21113 (50.3)158
Making it easy for you to tell him or her about your problems? (I)8 (82.5)139913 (63.8)20116 (46.8)147
Physical examination of you? (III)9 (82.4)13286 (73.9)2323 (65.8)206
Interest in your personal situation? (I)10 (82.0)14098 (70.8)2238 (56.5)178
Thoroughness? (III)11 (81.2)13619 (68.4)2146 (61.2)191
Involving you in decisions about your medical care? (I)12 (81.0)13237 (72.7)2295 (61.3)193
Helping you to understand the importance of following his or her advice? (II)13 (79.7)114121 (47.9)15018 (36.5)113
Helping you to feel well so that you can perform your normal daily activities? (III)14 (78.7)117219 (53.8)16117 (37.9)113
Getting an appointment to suit you? (IV)15 (78.1)133514 (60.8)19120 (34.4)108
Knowing what s/he had done or told you during contacts? (IV)16 (76.2)113520 (52.7)16410 (54.4)168
Offering you services for preventing diseases (eg screening, health checks, immunisations)? (III)17 (76.1)95316 (59.2)1849 (54.9)168
Helping you deal with emotional problems related to your health status? (II)18 (75.5)87317 (57.6)18115 (47.3)148
Quick relief of your symptoms? (III)19 (74.8)123922 (41.4)12623 (24.8)75
Preparing you for what to expect from specialist or hospital care? (IV)20 (74.7)81823 (40.4)12721 (31.2)97
Being able to speak to the GP on the telephone? (IV)21 (71.9)105112 (65.3)20519 (34.7)109
Getting through to the practice on the phone? (IV)22 (71.3)124718 (55.1)17322 (28.3)89
Waiting time in the waiting room? (IV)23 (61.2)106615 (60.5)19014 (48.6)152