Choosing a Hospital for Surgery: The Importance of Information on Quality of Care

Joyce Dijs-Elsinga, Wilma Otten, Martine M. Versluijs, Harm J. Smeets, Job Kievit, Robbert Vree, Wendeline J. van der Made and Perla J. Marang- van de Mheen
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Joyce Dijs-Elsinga: Department of Medical Decision Making, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
Wilma Otten: Department of Medical Decision Making, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
Martine M. Versluijs: Federation of Patients and Consumer Organisations in the Netherlands, Utrecht, The Netherlands
Harm J. Smeets: Department of Surgery, Bronovo Hospital, The Hague, The Netherlands
Job Kievit: Department of Medical Decision Making, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Surgery, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
Robbert Vree: Department of Surgery, Diaconessenhuis Leiden, The Netherlands
Wendeline J. van der Made: Department of Surgery Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
Perla J. Marang- van de Mheen: Received 26 June 2009 from the Department of Medical Decision Making, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, p.j.marang@lumc.nl

Medical Decision Making, 2010, vol. 30, issue 5, 544-555

Abstract: Objective. To assess whether patients use information on quality of care when choosing a hospital for surgery compared with more general hospital information. Methods. In this cross-sectional study in 3 Dutch hospitals, questionnaires were sent to 2122 patients who underwent 1 of 6 elective surgical procedures in 2005—2006 (aorta reconstruction [for treatment of aneurysm], cholecystectomy, colon resection, inguinal hernia repair, esophageal resection, thyroid surgery). Patients were asked which information they had used to choose this hospital and which information they intended to use if they would need similar surgical treatment in the future. Results. In total, 1329 questionnaires were available for analysis (response rate 62.6%). Most patients indicated having used the hospital’s good reputation (69.1%) and friendly hospital atmosphere (63.3%) to choose a hospital. For future choices, most patients intended to use the fact that they were already treated in that hospital (79.3%) and the hospital’s good reputation (74.1%). Regarding quality-of-care information, patients preferred a summary measure (% patients with ‘‘textbook outcome’’) over separate more detailed measures (52.1% v. 38.0%, χ2 = 291, P

Keywords: quality of care; performance measurement; quality indicators; performance measures; patient choice modeling; survey methods. (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2010
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sae:medema:v:30:y:2010:i:5:p:544-555

DOI: 10.1177/0272989X09357474

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