Family practice versus specialist care for low-risk obstetrics: examining patient satisfaction in Newfoundland and Labrador.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate patient satisfaction with 3 models of low-risk obstetrics care: solo care by a GP, group care by GPs, and specialist care.

DESIGN: Three-arm study comparing results of a self-administered, anonymous questionnaire.

SETTING: Two academic family practices and the labour and delivery ward in St John's, Nfld.

PARTICIPANTS: A total of 220 women deemed to have low-risk pregnancies; 82 women completed the questionnaire (37% response rate).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Patient satisfaction scores obtained from a modified version of the Patient Expectations and Satisfaction with Prenatal Care instrument.

RESULTS: Low-risk maternity patients' satisfaction with obstetric care provided by GPs in a group-care setting was equivalent to that with obstetric care provided by GPs working solo and greater than that with obstetric care provided by specialists.

CONCLUSION: Patients found that group care by GPs was an acceptable means of receiving obstetric services in a low-risk setting. Therefore, a group practice model might provide an attractive means for FPs to keep obstetrics within the scope of primary care.