Joint decision-making by the patient and a healthcare worker ensures not only information exchange, but also their shared responsibility for making the decision and for any possible risks. A total of 765 patients were surveyed in 9 Almaty polyclinics. It was found that 43% of patients did not aim at seeing their physician for health problem; 23% of respondents did not consider the medical profession prestigious; 98% assessed positively their communication with the physician, the quality of medical care, and the professional competence of healthcare workers; 85.2% of respondents held that the local physician and the general practitioner well understood their responsibility to the patient for his/her health; 80% of patients were ready to recommend their local physician and polyclinic to friends and acquaintances.