ArticleBMC family practice2014
Decreasing trends in patient satisfaction, accessibility and continuity of care in Finnish primary health care - a 14-year follow-up questionnaire study.
Article in BMC family practice, 2014. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 22 papers.
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Who cites it
22 citing papers in PubMed.
- Randomized controlled study of the impact of a participatory patient care plan among primary care patients with common chronic diseases: a one-year follow-up study.BMC health services research · 2021Trial
- Sustaining named GP continuity requires organisational change: a comparative implementation analysis in Finland.The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners · 2026Article
- Less continuity with more complaints: a repeated cross-sectional study of the association between relational continuity of care and patient complaints in English general practice.BMJ quality & safety · 2026Article
- Change of primary health care service provider model in Vantaa: the impact on mortality and causes of death among older adults - a register-based follow-up study.BMC health services research · 2025Article
- What makes a good general practice consultation? An exploratory pilot study with people from a low socioeconomic background.BJGP open · 2024Article
- Article
- Primary care for all: lessons for Canada from peer countries with high primary care attachment.CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association journal = journal de l'Association medicale canadienne · 2023Article
- A named General Practitioner (GP) is associated with an increase of hospital days in a single predictor analysis: a follow-up of 15 years.BMC health services research · 2023Article
- Comparison of two GP service provider models in older adults: a register-based follow-up study.BJGP open · 2023Article
- Patient satisfaction - results of cluster analysis of finnish patients.BMC health services research · 2023Article
- A named GP increases self-reported access to health care services.BMC health services research · 2022Article
- Association of personalised care plans with monitoring and control of clinical outcomes, prescription of medication and utilisation of primary care services in patients with type 2 diabetes: an observational real-world study.Scandinavian journal of primary health care · 2022Observational
- Prioritizing Community-Based Intervention Programs for Improving Treatment Compliance of Patients with Chronic Diseases: Applying an Analytic Hierarchy Process.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2021Article
- Continuity of care is associated with satisfaction with local health care services.BMC family practice · 2020Article
- Psychosocial issues need more attention in COPD self-management education.Scandinavian journal of primary health care · 2020Article
- Article
- 'Thinking outside the box': advanced geriatric nursing in primary health care in Scandinavia.BMC nursing · 2019Article
- User satisfaction in the spanish health system: trend analysis.Revista de saude publica · 2019Article
- Analysis of factors associated with waiting times for GP appointments in Finnish health centres: a QUALICOPC study.BMC research notes · 2018Article
- Experiences of general practitioner continuity among women with chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis: a cross-sectional study.BMC health services research · 2016Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThe aim here was to explore trends in patient satisfaction with primary health care and its accessibility and continuity, and to explore whether through reforms and improvements some of the essential goals had been achieved over a 14-year period of time in Finland.
methodsNine questionnaire surveys were conducted over a period of 14 years among patients attending within one week in the 65 health centres in the Tampere University Hospital catchment area. A total of 147,394 responded out of a sample of 333,648 patients. The response rate varied yearly from 53% to 37%.
resultsPatient satisfaction with care in Finnish health centres decreased by nearly 9 percentage units from 1998 to 2011. The fall-off was most marked in the age-group over 64 years. There was a 20 percentage unit's reduction in ease of access as reported by patients. Respondents also reported that the continuity of care had deteriorated.
conclusionsDespite major reforms in Finnish health care policy, patients seem to be less satisfied. Our findings challenge both Finnish authorities and GPs to improve the accessibility and continuity of care in primary health services.
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