IRVING, TX – A new DFW Hospital Council Foundation (DFWHC Foundation) study released today reveals the habits of Tarrant County residents when obtaining healthcare, with approximately 50 percent of consumers uncomfortable when discussing mental health issues and more than a third having stopped taking medication due to cost.

The DFWHC Foundation white paper “Healthcare Consumerism in Tarrant County” was inspired by a survey conducted over a two-week period in 2015 with citizens in the Fort Worth area. Questions involved medication use, patient engagement, healthcare knowledge and cultural barriers.

“This white paper highlights consumer behavior, perceptions, experiences and beliefs following the establishment of the Affordable Care Act,” said Crystee Cooper, author of the paper and director of health services research at the DFWHC Foundation. “To improve quality and outcomes, it is important for healthcare systems and providers to understand regional patient needs through studies such as these. Inefficient and ineffective care contributes to poor outcomes, frequent hospitalizations and readmissions. For these reasons, it is vital to begin to evaluate healthcare consumerism.”

Additional highlights of the study included:
• More than 75 percent of consumers trust their healthcare providers,

• 66 percent of women are less likely to adhere to medication regimens,

• More than 58 percent of the respondents rate access to their provider of choice as good or very good, and

• Less than 50 percent of consumers thought their healthcare provider showed concern for their well-being.

“We are grateful for the work of the DFWHC Foundation staff to provide these results,” said Kristin Jenkins, president of the DFWHC Foundation. “We are committed to providing crucial information for hospitals from our research and data. We believe this information can initiate necessary actions to promote safe practices in healthcare.”

To obtain a copy of the white paper, you can contact Dr. Cooper at ccooper@dfwhcfoundation.org or call 972-719-4900.

About DFW Hospital Council Foundation
The DFWHC Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization with a mission to continually improve the community’s health by promoting safe, high quality, cost effective, accessible and equitable healthcare and by strengthening the healthcare workforce through education and research.

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IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 16, 2015

Contact:
Chris Wilson, DFW Hospital Council
972.719.4900
chrisw@dfwhc.org