[Centralization of health services in primary care in summer: Patients and professionals view during two consecutive years]

Abstract

The Spanish primary health care, gateway and pillar of the Health Care System has his resources increasingly constrained by current crisis.

Objective: To know the opinion of users and professionals on two primary care centers which centralized in August 2011 and 2012 the attendance of seven primary care centers.

Methods: Two questionnaires were designed: a telephone survey of a random sample of users and a self-completed questionnaire for health care professionals. The variables were scored on a scale of 1-10 (low to high).

Results: Cronbach's coefficient α>0,84. 1293 people responded (836 users and 357 professionals). Users rated, in 2011, the satisfaction with 6.7 points in August and 7.3 points the rest of the year (P<.001). And, in 2012, with 7.7 points in August and 8.1 points the rest of the year (P<.001). Health care professionals, rated their satisfaction with 6.8 points in 2011 and 7.3 points in 2012. The waiting time was the only variable best scores in August that the rest of the year. The perception of the solution given in consultation did not change. Satisfaction, marking, care and treatment were highest rated in the regular center than in the reference center (P<.001).

Conclusions: The centralization of primary health care during periods of reduced demand could reduce costs while maintaining quality. The experience of centralizing primary care services during August was perceived as acceptable and improved over time. Users showed a slight, but significant, preference for their usual primary care center.

Keywords: Atención primaria; Cuestionarios; Eficiencia organizacional; Health priorities; Job satisfaction; Organizational efficiency; Patient satisfaction; Primary health care; Prioridades en salud; Questionnaires; Satisfacción del paciente; Satisfacción en el trabajo.