VOTING WITH THEIR FEET - PUBLIC HOSPITALS, HEALTH REFORM, AND PATIENTCHOICES

Objectives. This study identified public hospital patients' preference s under managed care and health reform. Methods. A cross-sectional sur vey of 348 ambulatory public hospital patients was conducted. Results. Patients reported a high degree of loyalty to the public hospital giv en several hypothetical reform scenarios. Those patients who stated th ey would remain at the hospital increased (from 74.2% to 85.5%) when c are elsewhere required copayment for medications and physician visits. Conclusions. Patients at one public hospital reported a high likeliho od of remaining in the public system. and this likelihood increased wh en copayment for services was required elsewhere.