Populations’ Preferences Regarding Health Care Service Delivery Patterns in Rural Areas in Western Germany—a Preliminary Survey Based on Focus Groups

Residents in rural communities increasingly face shortages in health care service. Consequently, German municipalities are driven by a strong attempt to transform care trajectories in rural areas. This qualitative study aims to identify the preferences of rural community residents towards the future service provision. Semi-structured focus group interviews were performed by means of a structured interview guide developed on the basis of a systematic literature review on expectations towards the provision of health care service. Participants were recruited in three rural communities in Western Germany. In total, three focus group interviews including 21 participants were performed. Overall, the interviews resulted in ten attributes grouped in three major domains: access to care, service delivery characteristics, and service costs. The rural population in Germany rejects outpatient care performed by hospitals and favors the provision of health care services by familiar doctor offices and occasionally interprofessional forms of outpatient care. Focus groups are an effective means to categorize preferences of the general population regarding outpatient health care service delivery patterns.