Which medicines do our patients want from us?

BACKGROUND The prescribing of medication, whether for infections or injurie s, has come under the scrutiny of health maintenance organizations (HMOs). Our goal was to examine patient beliefs about the usefulness of certain cla sses of medications. METHODS We surveyed 244 consecutive adult patients who presented to an urba n private family medicine practice in Georgia. RESULTS Regardless of who paid fur prescriptions (an HMO or the patient), m ost people in the survey would be satisfied with other-the-counter medicati ons and reassurance (84% for upper-respiratory infection, 72% for muscle st rain, 56% fur diarrhea). Few differences were attributable to payment statu s (prepaid as opposed to fee-for-service). African Americans are less likel y than whites: to accept reassurance as an appropriate treatment. CONCLUSIONS Patients may be more willing to accept reassurance and over-the -counter medications than is commonly believed by physicians.