Factors determining perceptions of fairness in access to hospital outpatient departments in Taiwan.

Objectives: To investigate the effects of four factors on perceptions of fairness in access to outpatient services: proportions of walk-in versus scheduled registration, consultation queues, regulations for late patients and particular categories of patients getting better access. Methods: A total of 124 young adults were asked to consider nine different scenarios and report their views of the fairness of each one. Results: As regards the balance of types of patients, 60% walk-in registration was seen as fair to both walk-in and scheduled patients. The fairness to both types of patients was higher in the queue with a 1:1 ratio of walk-in to scheduled patients. The policy that a late patient should wait for three on-time patients to be seen was considered to be fair to both on-time and late patients. Immediate consultation for some particular categories of patient (e.g. the elderly) was fair, but for other categories was unfair (e.g. paying an addition amount). Conclusions: Fairness in outpatient care is based on equality and need principles. Shorter waiting time does not mean patients view the system as fairer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]