Population-based Surveys of Access and Consumer Satisfaction with Health Care

Evaluates surveys currently used to measure access and quality of care from the perspective of the consumer of health services. It summarizes and critiques current instruments, contains a list of the items that should be included in these surveys, and suggests the kinds of research questions that should be addressed if one is to improve the results. Examples of core items include measures of quality of care (e.g., Have you had your blood pressure taken by a health care provider any time in the last two years?), satisfaction (e.g, How do you rate the medical care you received?), and access (e.g., Do you have health insurance? or How long has it been since you last visited a health care provider?). This article can serve as an important first step in designing a national survey from the perspective of the consumer of quality and access to medical care.