Physician Choice Directories

Abstract

It is a generally held belief that enrolled members of a health maintenance organization (HMO) will be more satisfied with their HMO and physicians if those members have a relationship with a personal physician. Public relations and marketing managers, therefore, in an attempt to encourage the establishment of such relationships, spend significant resources producing physician choice directories for their HMO members. But to what extent do these directories impact members? Do the HMO members read them? If so, do they take advantage of the opportunity to choose a personal physician? And if they do choose, what affect does that choice behavior have on satisfaction levels? The experience of one large, group model HMO suggests that physician choice directories enhance members' confidence in their physicians and their satisfaction with personalized care.