Table 3:
Physician Factors
| Very Important n, (%) |
Important n, (%) |
Neutral n, (%) |
Unimportant n, (%) |
Very Unimportant n, (%) |
Would Not Consider n, (%) |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Years of experience | 617 (30.8) | 406 (20.3) | 30 (1.5) | 1 (0.1) | 1 (0.1) | 949 (47.4) |
| Reputation of the doctor’s medical school or residency training program | 320 (16.0) | 244 (12.2) | 24 (1.2) | 2 (0.1) | 1 (0.1) | 1413 (70.5) |
| Overall satisfaction of previous patients | 621 (31.0) | 342 (17.1) | 30 (1.5) | 3 (0.2) | 1 (0.1) | 1007 (50.3) |
| How well the doctor follows national guidelines | 244 (12.2) | 125 (6.2) | 18 (0.9) | 1 (0.1) | 1 (0.1) | 1615 (80.6) |
| Recommendations from family and friends regarding the doctor | 382 (19.1) | 442 (22.1) | 58 (2.8) | 2 (0.1) | 2 (0.1) | 1118 (55.8) |
| Recommendations from your primary doctor regarding the doctor | 613 (30.6) | 373 (18.6) | 27 (1.4) | 2 (0.1) | 2 (0.1) | 987 (49.3) |
| Doctor’s race | 63 (3.1) | 49 (2.5) | 18 (0.9) | 8 (0.4) | 2 (0.1) | 1864 (93.0) |
| Doctor’s gender | 110 (5.5) | 127 (6.3) | 36 (1.8) | 1 (0.1) | 3 (0.2) | 1727 (86.2) |
| Doctor’s scheduling flexibility | 451 (22.5) | 412 (20.6) | 31 (1.6) | 5 (0.3) | 1 (0.1) | 1104 (55.1) |
| A doctor in training will not participate in my care | 135 (6.7) | 81 (4.0) | 29 (1.5) | 10 (0.5) | 3 (0.2) | 1746 (87.1) |
| Personal familiarity with the doctor | 230 (11.5) | 279 (13.9) | 86 (4.3) | 4 (0.2) | 2 (0.1) | 1403 (70.0) |
| Doctor’s rating on ratings website | 331 (16.5) | 346 (17.3) | 36 (1.8) | 3 (0.2) | 2 (0.1) | 1286 (64.2) |
*
No factors were considered important by 109 (5.4%) patients