Fall 2011 Altarum Institute Survey of Consumer Health Care Opinions:

• Consumers are more likely to switch providers to get better care than to find lower price. View the results.

• Nearly half of health care consumers would change doctors if their doctor had been involved in a malpractice suit. View the results.

• Three out of 10 patients reported experiencing a medical error when receiving some form of health care treatment. View the results.

• While younger consumers use online information more frequently in their search for a physician, the majority of consumers in all age groups use word of mouth when selecting a physician. View the results.

• Few consumers ask about the cost of treatment before getting health care, but those who pay from their own pockets ask more often. View the results.

• Consumers are more choosy about cars and appliances than health care. View the results.

View On-The-Street Consumer Interviews

Interviewers from the Altarum Institute Center for Consumer Choice in Health Care asked consumers on the streets of Washington, D.C., questions about health care. Conducted in October 2011, these interviews focused on consumers’ opinions regarding health care, as well as how they make choices regarding health care services and what they know about quality and cost of care.

These video clips help illustrate the variation in consumer perceptions and knowledge of health care issues. They are part of the Center’s wider research agenda about the nature of consumer engagement in their own health and health care decisions.

Considering Care Interviews. In this segment, consumers are asked how they know whether a hospital is good. Some valued the staff’s responsiveness, reputation, attention paid to patients, interaction style, and honesty; other consumers believe that one must rely on instinct or “gut feel.” Some do research; others do not believe that we can know how good a hospital really is, so patients must always advocate for themselves.

Monthly Minuses. In this segment, consumers are asked how much they pay each month for their own health insurance. Some know; some do not. Some say that they pay a great deal; others say none at all. Answers range from zero to thousands of dollars per month.

Liberty’s Levies. In this segment, consumers are asked why they believe that health care is so much more expensive in the United States compared to other countries. Respondents gave many reasons, including excess bureaucracy, advanced technologies, innovation, and profit motives by pharmaceutical companies and health insurers. Interestingly, none of the respondents mentioned any causes related to consumer choices.

Harmful Healers Interviews. In this segment, consumers are asked, “Out of 10 patients admitted to a hospital, how many experience medical errors?” Guesses vary, indicating that some believe that hospitals are very safe while others think that mistakes happen more often than not. One respondent voiced our collective hope that the rate is “less than one.”

Family Fees Interviews. In this video segment, consumers are asked how much health insurance costs for a family of four on average. Some are very knowledgeable about costs, while others are very unsure. The range of guesses is quite large, varying almost tenfold.

Care Is Costly Interviews. In this video segment, consumers are asked how much specific health care services costs. Guesses about the cost of appendix removal vary widely, from less than $1,000 to “astronomical.” Guesses about the cost of an ambulance ride vary tenfold, and some report fees from personal experience.

Picking Practitioners Interviews. In this video segment, consumers are asked how they chose their doctor and whether they did research online. Respondents report taking recommendations from friends and family, as well as choosing based on convenience and expertise. Some used online research; others preferred doing their own legwork.

Doctor Devotion Interviews. In this video segment, consumers are asked, “If you could keep your regular doctor or your hairdresser (or barber) but not both, which one would you keep?” The results might surprise you! Not everyone puts a higher priority on their current health care provider than their current hairdo, and one person makes a very striking contrast of the service level provided by her hairdresser to that which she experiences in her physician’s office.