--- title: "P satisfaction with part-time PCPs. | Sutter Health" description: "PCPs who choose to work fewer clinical hours may have worse continuity and access, but they may provide a better patient experience." url: "https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/patient-satisfaction-with-part-time-pcps-1055312882" --- 1. [Home](https://www.sutterhealth.org/) / 2. [Research](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research) / 3. [Research publications](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications) / 4. P satisfaction with part-time PCPs. # Patients report better satisfaction with part-time primary care physicians, despite less continuity of care and access. Panattoni L, Stone A, Chung S, & Tai-Seale M. _J Gen Intern Med. \[Epub ahead of print\]_ 2014-11-22 ## Abstract BACKGROUND: The growing number of primary care physicians (PCPs) reducing their clinical work hours has raised concerns about meeting the future demand for services and fulfilling the continuity and access mandates for patient-centered care. However, the patient's experience of care with part-time physicians is relatively unknown, and may be mediated by continuity and access to care outcomes. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to examine the relationships between a physicians' clinical full-time equivalent (FTE), continuity of care, access to care, and patient satisfaction with the physician. DESIGN: We used a multi-level structural equation estimation, with continuity and access modeled as mediators, for a cross-section in 2010. PARTICIPANTS: The study included family medicine (n = 104) and internal medicine (n = 101) physicians in a multi-specialty group practice, along with their patient satisfaction survey responses (n = 12,688). MAIN MEASURES: Physician level FTE, continuity of care received by patients, continuity of care provided by physician, and a Press Ganey patient satisfaction with the physician score, on a 0-100 % scale, were measured. Access to care was measured as days to the third next-available appointment. KEY RESULTS: Physician FTE was directly associated with better continuity of care received (0.172 % per FTE, p < 0.001), better continuity of care provided (0.108 % per FTE, p < 0.001), and better access to care (-0.033 days per FTE, p < 0.01), but worse patient satisfaction scores (-0.080 % per FTE, p = 0.03). The continuity of care provided was a significant mediator (0.016 % per FTE, p < 0.01) of the relationship between FTE and patient satisfaction; but overall, reduced clinical work hours were associated with better patient satisfaction (-0.053 % per FTE, p = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that PCPs who choose to work fewer clinical hours may have worse continuity and access, but they may provide a better patient experience. Physician workforce planning should consider these care attributes when considering the role of part-time PCPs in practice redesign efforts and initiatives to meet the demand for primary care services. [PubMed abstract](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25416600) ## Research topics - [Health Policy](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?query=%22%5C%22Health+Policy%5C%22%22) - [Health Services](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?query=%22%5C%22Health+Services%5C%22%22) ## Related publications [View all publications](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?verticalKey=research_publication) - Publication ### [Physician practice participation in accountable care organizations: the emergence of the unicorn.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/physician-practice-participation-in-acos-1055312896) Shortell SM, McClellan SR, Ramsay PP, Casalino LP, Ryan AM, Copeland KR. Health Serv Res. doi: 10.1111/1475-6773.12167. \[Epub ahead of print\] 2014 Mar 15 - Publication ### [Public reporting of provider performance at a crossroads in the United States: summary of current barriers and recommendations on how to move forward.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/public-reporting-of-provider-performance-barrriers-1055312919) Hussey PS, Luft HS, McNamara P. Med Care Res Rev. 71(5 Suppl):5S-16S. doi: 10.1177/1077558714535980. Epub 2014 May 27. 2014 Oct 01 - Publication ### [Data and methods to facilitate delivery system reform: harnessing collective intelligence to learn from positive deviance](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/delivery-system-reform-learn-fr-positive-deviants-1055312630) Luft HS. Health Serv Res. 45(5 Pt 2):1570-80. doi: 10.1111/j.1475-6773.2010.01148.x. Epub 2010 Aug 2. 2010 Oct 01 - Publication ### [Health care for the working poor: from focus groups to state policy.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/healthcare-wking-poor-focus-grps-state-policy-1055312329) Tierney WM, Kinney ED, Tai-Seale M, Greene JY, Murray R, Latondress T. J Investig Med. 46(7):279A. 1998 Jul 01 - Publication ### [Shared decision making as part of value based care: new U.S. policies challenge our readiness.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/shared-decision-making-new-united-states-policies-1055312408) Spatz ES, Elwyn G, Moulton BW, Volk RJ, Frosch DL. Z Evid Fortbild Qual Gesundhwes. pii: S1865-9217(17)30087-9. doi: 10.1016/j.zefq.2017.05.012. \[Epub ahead of print\] 2017 May 20 [View all publications](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?verticalKey=research_publication) ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"MedicalOrganization","name":"Sutter Health","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/#medicalorganization","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org","logo":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/static/images/sutter-health-logo.svg","address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","streetAddress":"2200 River Plaza Drive","addressLocality":"Sacramento","addressRegion":"CA","postalCode":"95833","addressCountry":"US"},"areaServed":{"@type":"AdministrativeArea","name":"California"},"sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/SutterHealth","https://www.instagram.com/sutterhealth/","https://x.com/SutterHealth","https://www.youtube.com/sutterhealth","https://www.linkedin.com/company/sutter-health","https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sutter_Health"]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/patient-satisfaction-with-part-time-pcps-1055312882#breadcrumblist","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Research","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Research publications","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"name":"P satisfaction with part-time PCPs."}]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"MedicalScholarlyArticle","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/patient-satisfaction-with-part-time-pcps-1055312882#medicalscholarlyarticle","name":"Patients report better satisfaction with part-time primary care physicians, despite less continuity of care and access.","headline":"P satisfaction with part-time PCPs.","abstract":"BACKGROUND: The growing number of primary care physicians (PCPs) reducing their clinical work hours has raised concerns about meeting the future demand for services and fulfilling the continuity and access mandates for patient-centered care. However, the patient's experience of care with part-time physicians is relatively unknown, and may be mediated by continuity and access to care outcomes. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to examine the relationships between a physicians' clinical full-time equivalent (FTE), continuity of care, access to care, and patient satisfaction with the physician. DESIGN: We used a multi-level structural equation estimation, with continuity and access modeled as mediators, for a cross-section in 2010. PARTICIPANTS: The study included family medicine (n = 104) and internal medicine (n = 101) physicians in a multi-specialty group practice, along with their patient satisfaction survey responses (n = 12,688). MAIN MEASURES: Physician level FTE, continuity of care received by patients, continuity of care provided by physician, and a Press Ganey patient satisfaction with the physician score, on a 0-100 % scale, were measured. Access to care was measured as days to the third next-available appointment. KEY RESULTS: Physician FTE was directly associated with better continuity of care received (0.172 % per FTE, p \u003c 0.001), better continuity of care provided (0.108 % per FTE, p \u003c 0.001), and better access to care (-0.033 days per FTE, p \u003c 0.01), but worse patient satisfaction scores (-0.080 % per FTE, p = 0.03). The continuity of care provided was a significant mediator (0.016 % per FTE, p \u003c 0.01) of the relationship between FTE and patient satisfaction; but overall, reduced clinical work hours were associated with better patient satisfaction (-0.053 % per FTE, p = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that PCPs who choose to work fewer clinical hours may have worse continuity and access, but they may provide a better patient experience. 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