Antibiotic prescribing and patient satisfaction in primary care in England: cross-sectional analysis of national patient survey data and prescribing data (2016)

Summary

The cornerstone of good general practice has long been recognised as lying in the quality of the relationship between doctor and patient. This focus on the interaction between GP and patient has been further reinforced in recent years by increasing attention on the patient’s experience of healthcare encounters. 

However, pleasing the patient is not always consistent with providing good-quality care. GPs are well aware that patients may demand an antibiotic when it is not judged clinically appropriate. The aim of this study from Ashworth et al. was to determine the relationship between antibiotic prescribing in general practice and reported patient satisfaction. The results found that patients were less satisfied in practices with frugal antibiotic prescribing. A cautious approach to antibiotic prescribing may require a trade-off in terms of patient satisfaction.