US adults want physicians managing their health care

U.S. adults want physicians managing their health care

(HealthDay)—U.S. adults prefer physicians to non-physicians for health care and would choose a physician to lead their medical team, according to the results of a survey commissioned by the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP).

A total of 1,320 U.S. adults aged 18 years or older were surveyed online about a series of health care topics, including who they most often see for health care, who they would prefer to see, and what characteristics they attribute to .

According to the survey, with regard to health care, 72 percent of adults prefer physicians to non-physicians. Given a choice, 90 percent of U.S. adults would choose a physician to lead their medical team. Compared with non-physicians, adults see physicians and family physicians as more knowledgeable, experienced, trusted, and up-to-date on medical advances. When a medical question arises, 41 percent indicated that they would confer with their primary care physician, 24 percent a physician, 8 percent a specialist, 6 percent a nurse practitioner, and 3 percent a physician assistant.

"This survey puts a face—a face—on the message that's being repeated nationwide that team-based care and primary care are critical to the successful transformation of delivery in this country," AAFP president Reid Blackwelder, M.D., said in a statement.

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Citation: US adults want physicians managing their health care (2013, December 24) retrieved 28 March 2024 from https://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-12-adults-physicians-health.html
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