Patients' Willingness of First Visit in Primary Medical Institutions and Policy Implications: A National Cross-Sectional Survey in China

Background: The Chinese hierarchical treatment system expects patients to first visit primary medical institutions (PMIs), and patients' willingness determined their utilization of primary health care. The aim of this study was to explore the factors associated with patients' willingness to make their first visit to PMIs.

Methods: We employed multistage stratified sampling and convenience sampling to administer questionnaires to 1,507 patients in Beijing, Qinghai, and Fujian. Patients' willingness of first visit in PMIs was analyzed using Chi-square test and binary logistic regression.

Results: Of the 1,507 participants in the survey, 55.1% were willing to make their first visit in PMIs. Fewer patients in Beijing (17.6%) are willing to make their first visit in PMIs than those in Qinghai (71.9%) and Fujian provinces (72.0%). Binary logistic regression analysis revealed that higher recognition of the community first visit policy and higher satisfaction with the medical technology of PMIs are associated with patients' willingness of first visit in PMIs.

Conclusions: Due to differences in local economic conditions, medical resources, and policy formulation, there are differences among provinces in patients' willingness of first visit in PMIs. To increase patients' rate of visits in PMIs, it is important to improve service capacity and quality of PMIs and change residents' attitudes for PMIs.