OBJECTIVES: Evaluating quality of health care is a relevant approach to improving access and health. Our study explored perceived patient satisfaction with primary and specialty care and identified factors accounting for the differences. METHODS:  The data were collected from an Internet-based survey, DrScore.com, for measuring patient satisfaction with physicians. Patient demographics, responses to questions for physician and clinic ratings, and comments were collected anonymously. A total satisfaction score was the sum of scores based on 9 physician rating items. Logistic regressions were used to analyze associations between satisfaction (score ≥70) and various factors. RESULTS:  The mean satisfaction score was 79.4 for primary care (n = 11,558) and 75.5 for specialty care (n = 11,068) (p>0.05). The score at 25th percentile for specialty care (57.6), however, was lower than that for primary care (73.3). Nearly 50% of primary care patients waited for 0-2 days to get an appointment, while half of specialty care patients waited for 6 days-2 months. As waiting days became longer than 2 weeks, patient ratings of specialty care were lower than those of primary care (p<0.001). Compared to patients (<35 years), patients (≥ 35 years) were less likely to be satisfied with primary care (OR: 0.75, 95%CI: 0.62, 0.91) but more likely to be satisfied with specialty care (OR: 1.33, 95%CI: 1.08, 1.63). Patients waiting shorter time before seeing their doctors or spending more time with their doctors were more likely to be satisfied with primary and specialty care (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Although differences in overall patient satisfaction with primary and specialty care were not observed, more specialists tended to have extremely low satisfaction scores.  Age and factors related to waiting time for the visit or time spent with a doctor were associated with patient satisfaction with physicians.