Expectations of Military Health Care: An Inductive Analysis; Final Report, June 1, 2000 to June 30, 2004

摘要

In the mid-1990s, the Military Health System (MHS) initiated a managed care system called TRICARE. It was implemented worldwide using a phased approach that took just over three years to complete. Although the MHS seeks excellence in care quality, evidence suggests that MHS beneficiaries are less satisfied with most aspects of TRICARE than individuals from the general population in comparable health plans. Patient satisfaction, a feature of quality care and an important health care outcome, can be viewed as a function of the difference between patient's perceived experiences and their expectations. The purpose of this study, therefore, was to better understand patient satisfaction among Army beneficiaries by examining consumer and health care personnel experiences with and expectations of the MHS.