Figure 1. Overall satisfaction and effective versus nominal PCP linkage: Programwide YTD 1999. We know that a key driver of overall member satisfaction and retention is the degree to which members believe they have a regular physician and the degree to which they are able to see that physician. By using responses to these two questions from the STAR survey, we were able to learn that members with effective linkages (ie, members who answered in the affirmative to both questions) had an overall satisfaction rate of 80%, whereas members with nominal linkages (ie, members who reported believing that they have a physician but were not able to see him or her) had an overall satisfaction rate of 39%. Graph summarizes a major learning from the STAR survey.