Patient criteria in selection of doctors: the Case of private doctor practitioners in Nairobi

Abstract

The study was conducted in the period between August and September 2003. The objective of the study was to find out the criteria used by Nairobi residents in their selection of private doctor service. Primary data for this study was gathered from 99 respondents selected from five middle-income estates in Nairobi. The respondents were selected through systematic random sampling. The primary data was collected through a semi-structured questionnaire that contained several aspects that the researcher considered to be influential in the selection of doctors. This comprised of information sources, information types ) and factors considered in the selection of doctors. The major findings of the study were as follows: That; other doctors, other healthcare professionals, family members and friends are the most important sources of information when deciding on the doctor to consult. The doctor's reputation both among other doctors and own patients, length and type of experience and fees charged de the important types of information that patients seek when evaluating whether the doctor nreets their requirements. The mam factors that the patients consider identified by the survey were: Convenience, human touch, credentials, personality associations, keenness or alertness, freshness and peer (other doctors) approval. The researcher suggested that future research could focus by doctor specialization, differences when selecting a doctor for self or for ones child and qualitative details about the criteria used by patients in the selection of doctors.