As healthcare reform gains momentum in Washington, nearly 40 percent of consumers have expressed discontent with the status quo, rating the U.S. healthcare system a D or an F. A quarter of consumers have skipped care when they were sick or injured; two in five of those consumers have done so because they simply could not afford it, were not covered by insurance, or thought the costs were too high, according to the results of the 2009 Deloitte Survey of Health Care Consumers.
The survey had some good news for hospitals. Satisfaction with hospital care overall has increased substantially over the last year (74 percent in 2009 as compared with 60 percent in 2008), although ED satisfaction lags at 68 percent. Satisfaction varies according to insurance source, ranging from a low of 57 percent for the uninsured to a high of 81 percent among Medicare enrollees and 82 percent among the military. Insurance coverage is also the most important factor to consumers when selecting a hospital.
The survey also found that consumer differentiation among hospitals based on perceived quality is significant and increasing. Sixty-two percent of consumers believe that hospitals vary with respect to quality. Comparing hospital quality is higher for inpatient use (15 percent) than outpatient use (8 percent).
Read the survey.
