Table 4 Patients’ expectations towards the primary care physicians (PCPs) and their practices, according to patients’ age group

Waiting time deemed acceptable

 In the waiting room (%)

0.01

0.18

  ≤ 10 min

40. 6

26.7

27.6

 15 min

34.4

42.0

37.8

 20 min

7.3

10.3

13.6

 25 min

4.2

0.9

1.7

 30 min

10.4

16.6

16.3

  ≥ 35 min

3.1

3.5

3.1

 To get an appointment for non urgent health problems (%)

0.09

0.69

  In the day

2.1

6.9

9.3

  1 – 2 days

14.6

11.5

9.3

  3 – 4 days

20.8

17.3

14.4

  5 – 7 days

31.3

25.4

24.4

  1 – 2 weeks

20.8

25.7

27.3

   > 2 weeks

10.4

13.2

15.3

 To get an appointment for urgent health problems (%)

0.01

0.30

   < 1 h

8.3

7.2

13.1

  In the day

48.5

53.7

48.4

  1 – 2 days

33.0

33.3

31.0

   ≥ 3 days

10.3

5.8

7.5

 To be able to speak to the PCP on the telephone (%)

<0.001

0.06

  No waiting time

7.3

6.9

13.8

   < 1 h

17.7

15.5

24.1

  In the day

57.3

58.2

49.5

  1 day

11.5

14.3

8.5

   ≥ 2 days

6.3

5.2

4.2

Number of interruptions of the consultation related to phone calls deemed acceptable (%)

<0.001

0.81

  0

9.3

13.9

5.6

  1

66.0

63.7

65.8

   ≥ 2

24.7

22.4

28.6

Importance of having a laboratory in the practice (mean (SD))

  Patients consulting PCP with a laboratory

3.2 (1.2)

3.6 (1.5)

4.0 (1.3)

<0.001*

0.30

  Patients consulting PCP without a laboratory

3.1 (1.2)

2.9 (1.6)

2.8 (1.7)

0.78

0.87

  All the patients

3.2 (1.2)

3.4 (1.5)

3.8 (1.5)

<0.001*

0.40

Importance of having x-ray equipment in the practice (mean (SD))

  Patients consulting PCP with x-ray equipment

3.5 (1.1)

3.7 (1.4)

4.0 (1.4)

0.05**

0.43

  Patients consulting PCP without x-ray equipment

2.8 (1.3)

2.2 (1.4)

2.1 (1.5)

0.01**

0.03

  All the patients

3.1 (1.2)

2.8 (1.5)

2.8 (1.7)

0.07

0.10

Importance of wearing a white coat during the consultation (mean (SD))

  Patients consulting PCP wearing a white coat

2.6 (1.5)

2.8 (1.6)

3.1 (1.7)

0.001*

0.03

  Patients consulting PCP not wearing a white coat

2.2 (1.4)

2.0 (1.4)

1.9 (1.4)

0.50

0.32

  All the patients

2.4 (1.5)

2.5 (1.6)

2.8 (1.7)

0.01**

0.04

Importance of washing his hands (mean (SD))

4.7 (0.7)

4.6 (0.9)

4.5 (1.0)

0.17

0.29

Importance of the cleanliness of the practice (mean (SD))

4.5 (0.8)

4.6 (0.8)

4.7 (0.7)

0.04**

0.01

Importance that the PCP is accessible by phone 24 h a day (mean (SD))

  Patients consulting PCP accessible 24 h a day

2.1 (1.2)

2.1 (1.3)

2.5 (1.5)

0.03

0.10

  Patients consulting PCP not accessible 24 h a day

2.2 (1.2)

2.1 (1.3)

2.3 (1.5)

0.05

0.09

  All the patients

2.2 (1.2)

2.1 (1.3)

2.4 (1.5)

0.002**

0.02

Importance that the PCP is accessible by phone the week-end during the day (mean (SD)

  Patients consulting PCP accessible 24 h a day

2.4 (1.1)

2.1 (1.3)

2.3 (1.5)

0.05

0.34

     Patients consulting PCP not accessible 24 h a day

2.2 (1.2)

2.0 (1.3)

2.1 (1.4)

0.52

0.19

  All the patients

2.3 (1.1)

2.0 (1.3)

2.2 (1.4)

0.05

0.10

Importance that the PCP makes home visits (mean (SD))

  Patients consulting PCP accessible 24 h a day

2.2 (1.3)

2.9 (1.4)

3.5 (1.4)

<0.001*

0.01

  Patients consulting PCP not accessible 24 h a day

2.4 (1.3)

2.3 (1.3)

3.1 (1.6)

<0.001*

0.65

  All the patients

2.3 (1.3)

2.7 (1.4)

3.4 (1.5)

<0.001*

0.02

Importance that the PCP makes home visits 24 h a day (mean (SD))

  Patients consulting PCP accessible 24 h a day

1.6 (1.0)

2.6 (1.5)

2.6 (1.5)

0.10

0.56

  Patients consulting PCP not accessible 24 h a day

1.7 (1.1)

1.6 (1.0)

1.8 (1.3)

0.001

0.33

  All the patients

1.7 (1.1)

1.7 (1.1)

1.9 (1.3)

0.01

0.18

Importance that the PCP makes home visits 24 h the week-end during the day (mean (SD)

  Patients consulting PCP accessible 24 h a day

2.0 (1.0)

2.2 (1.2)

2.3 (1.5)

0.81

0.32

  Patients consulting PCP not accessible 24 h a day

1.9 (1.1)

1.7 (1.1)

1.8 (1.3)

0.20

0.44

  All the patients

1.9 (1.0)

1.8 (1.1)

1.9 (1.3)

0.09

0.40