Health-seeking behavior and medical facility choice in Samsun, Turkey

- The mean number of annual visits per person has reached doubled as 9.5 in last five years (after the health reform).
- Patients with higher education prefer private hospitals instead of FHC or public hospitals.
- The first three reasons the participants gave for preferring a FHC were'proximity', 'receiving adequate information', and 'being treated well'.

ObjectiveExamining the factors that play a role in determining patient preferences for different healthcare institutions.MethodThis descriptive study was conducted in five family health centers (FHC) and in six hospitals in Samsun Province in Turkey. The data were collected from 1700 volunteer patients by using a structured questionnaire, while they were waiting for consultation.ResultThe average number of out-patient visits was 9.5 ± 6.4 per person in 2012. Individuals aged less than 18 and more than 65 years old had higher preferences for FHCs, while those aged 19-64 years preferred primarily private hospitals. The order of preferences for FHC, public and private hospitals did not vary with the educational level. An increase in educational level was associated with a decrease in the preference for FHCs and in increase in the preference for private hospitals. The first three reasons given for preferring a hospital were 'the presence of a specialist', 'availability of good equipment and technology', and 'trust on the diagnosis and treatment', while 'proximity', 'receiving adequate information', and 'being treated well' were the reasons given by participants who preferred a FHC.ConclusionProviding medical equipment and staff support for improving diagnostic capacity of FHCs can accommodate patient expectations and shift the demand from hospitals to FHCs.