This thesis was undertaken to provide practice relevant information for educational planning within Family Medicine in Indiana. The basic aim was to determine the current practice patterns in family medicine and to develop profiles for selected career patterns. All All Indiana doctors with a career choice in family medicine comprised the population for this statewide study. The data were collected through the use of a validated questionnaire. The data were statistically analyzed by computer and reported in narrative and tabular form.Ball State UniversityMuncie, IN 47306

Background: Smartphones and related applications are increa singly gaining relevance in the healthcare domain. We previously assessed the demands and preferences of medical students towards an application accompanying them during a course on general practice. The current study aims to elucidate the factors associated with adop tion of such a technology. Therefore we provided students with a prototype of an application specifically related to their studies in general practice.

The consultation is the GP’s form of work. How long a consultation should be, and what short/long consultations imply with regard to the satisfaction of patient and doctor has been much debated. The aim of this thesis was to study consultations with regard to content and time consumption in a short term and long term perspective. Three studies were carried out. 1. Consultations with the members of a group of GPs were investigated, where patients and doctors separately assessed different aspects of the consultation, and their ratings were related to the real length of the consultations. The following questions were posed: Was there time enough? Could the patient tell the doctor about her/his problems? Were the problems physical or psychological? 2. Nurses at the primary care health centres were interviewed about their considerations in booking short or long appointments for the patients. 3. Patients who frequently attended one health centre during one year and consumed much time were studied. Quantitative and qualitative methods were used. The results of the first study (Papers I-III) show that the average length of the consultations was 21 minutes; there was considerable variation (ranging from 3 to 60 minutes). (About 600 consultations with 7 male doctors were registered in two batches). The doctors’ mean consultation length also varied widely, from 13-28 minutes. Consultations dealing with psychological problems were longer than those dealing with physical problems. Older patients had longer consultations than younger patients, and female patients had somewhat longer consultations than male patients. The patients were generally more satisfied with the consultations than the doctors were, and there were no clear affinities between long consultations and high satisfaction. Male patients and patients with physical problems mainly received short consultations, whereas patients with ”mixed" problems and older patients received long consultations. The single factors most decisive for the length of a consultation were ‘the doctor factor’, the character of the problem and the age of the patient. "Good” consultations (operational definition) were associated primarily with ‘the doctor factor’, and the real length of the consultations was less important. The interviews with ten experienced primary care nurses (Paper IV) showed that the nurses worked in two perspectives: in the ”immediate” perspective, appointments were booked according to rules which directly impacted the length of the visit, and in the "reflective" perspective, appointments were booked with a view to the quality of the work at the health centre and the long-term time consumption. Other factors of importance were the patient’s age and problem(s), the doctor’s experience and working style, and the current situation at the health centre. Frequent attenders (FAs) at one health centre (Paper V) were compared with a contrast group of matched patients (CPs). The FAs represented 1.7% of the population of the catchment area and made 15% of the visits. The FAs were a heterogeneous group where small boys, women of working age and pensioners of both sexes were overrepresented. The FAs had higher consultation frequency than the CPs during the year of investigation, but few remained FAs for longer periods. The FAs had more problems and more complex problems than the CPs. Complaints regarding the musculo-skeletal organs, and psychosocial problems were common among these patients, often in combination. The present work thus shows that longer consultations do not naturally imply higher patient satisfaction. Other factors than the time factor, in particular ‘the doctor factor’ seem to be more important. ‘The doctor factor’, the characteristics of the patients, the type of problem and the situation at the health centre also have a bearing on consultation length and time consumption in a short-term as well as long-term perspective. The implications of these factors and their relative importance are discussed, but further studies of certain issues, such as ‘the doctor factor’, are necessary. / <p>Diss. (sammanfattning) Umeå : Umeå universitet, 1995, härtill 5 uppsatser.</p> / digitalisering@umu

Background: In South Africa there data is lacking on the health of the older population. This study aims to report on actions taken by general practitioners on abnormal blood pressure, blood glucose and osteoporosis screen identified by registered nurses, conducting home based visits to older clients. Methods An agency piloted the Comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) tool in an urban affluent population. In this cross sectional secondary study analysis, 465 participants aged 60 years and over had a nurse visit in their homes and a subsequent General Practitioner (GP) visit. The prevalence of specific geriatric problems was assessed as well as the frequency of initiated procedures by the GP. This study will focus on initiated actions by the General Practitioners in response to abnormal blood pressures, blood glucose, and osteoporosis screen. Results Frequency tables were utilised to identify prevalence of the abnormal blood pressures, blood glucose and osteoporosis screen. . Abnormal blood pressures were detected (230/465, 49%) of the subjects , the GP initiated actions on only 15/465 (3.2%) of clients. Abnormal blood sugars were detected 106/465 (23%) of the GP initiated actions on 23/465 (5%) of clients. Clinical risk factors for the development of osteoporosis were detected in 252 /465 (54%) subjects GP initiated actions on 11/465 (3%) Conclusion This study explored the relationships between comprehensive geriatric assessment and subsequent GP actions and found using the CGA in this population will be successful in identifying abnormal health findings which will enable intervention. However, due to challenges in the communications and marketing of this service, GP’s were not well informed of their role and did not act on majority of the abnormal findings detected by nurses / Thesis (M.N.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2011.

Darbo tikslas. Įvertinti bendrosios praktikos slaugytojų motyvaciją ir galimybes kelti kvalifikaciją Panevėžio miesto pirminės asmens sveikatos priežiūros įstaigose. Uždaviniai: 1. Ištirti Panevėžio miesto pirminės asmens sveikatos priežiūros įstaigose dirbančių bendrosios praktikos slaugytojų motyvaciją darbui ir kvalifikacijos tobulinimui. 2. Įvertinti Panevėžio miesto pirminės asmens sveikatos priežiūros įstaigose dirbančių bendrosios praktikos slaugytojų galimybes kvalifikacijos tobulinimui. Tyrimo metodika. Tyrimo metu atlikta anoniminė anketinė Panevėžio miesto pirminės asmens sveikatos priežiūros įstaigose dirbančių bendrosios praktikos slaugytojų apklausa. Išdalintos 145 anketos, į anketos klausimus atsakė 132 respondentės (atsako dažnis - 91 proc.). Statistinė duomenų analizė atlikta, požymių statistinį ryšį tiriant susietų lentelių metodu, naudojant SPSS 17.0 for Windows ir MS Excel skaičiuoklę. Rezultatai. Respondenčių pasitenkinimas savo profesija labai aukštas - 95,3 proc. Motyvacijos priemonių visumą, taikomą jų darbovietėse, slaugytojos vertina palankiai - 60,6 proc. Labiausiai tenkinantys darbo aspektai: moralinis pasitenkinimas, padedant ligoniui - 82 proc., bendradarbiai - 61 proc., darbo aplinka - 41,7 proc. Dominuoja nematerialūs motyvacijos veiksniai: įdomus ir mėgstamas darbas (71 proc.), geri santykiai kolektyve (60 proc.), galimybė kelti profesinę kvalifikaciją (45,7 proc.). Populiariausi slaugytojų profesinės kvalifikacijos tobulinimo būdai: su... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Aim of the study. Evaluate the motivation and opportunities for professional development of general practice nurses in Panevėžys city primary health care facilities. Methods. Anonymous questionnaire was carried out during investigation of general practice nurses working in Panevežys primary personal health care institutions. 145 questionnaires were distributed, 132 respondents have responded to questionnaire questions (response rate - 91 %). The statistical data analysis, statistical evidence of the link between attributes was determined using linked table method with the SPSS 17.0 for Windows and MS Excel spreadsheet. Results. The satisfaction of the respondents profession is very high – 95%. The respondents kindly appreciate the tools, which are used to keep them motivated – 60.6%. The aspects of job satisfaction: co-workers – 61%, job atmosphere – 41.7%, taking moral pleasure in helping patients – 82%. The immaterial aspects of motivation: an interesting and favourite job – 71%, a good working relationship – 60%, an opportunity to enhance your qualities – 45.7%. The most popular methods of improving qualification of nurses: the reading of the nursing literature – 96%, the classes of enriching your qualities – 96.1%, the reading about nursing on the Internet – 82.6%. The employees who send nurses to the classes of enhancing their qualities – 48%, the nurses are going to the classes by themselves – 33.1%. The employees who pay for the classes of qualification improving –... [to full text]

Abstract Background The National Health and Medical Research Council and the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners recommend exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of an infant’s life and continued breastfeeding with the addition of appropriate complementary food until at least 12 months. While most Australian women initiate breastfeeding, many wean earlier than recommended due to breastfeeding difficulties. As most women consult their GP frequently in the first six months postpartum, GPs are in an ideal position to provide encouragement, evidence-based information and advice that breastfeeding women need. In addition, women are more likely to initiate and continue to breastfeed if their doctor supports and encourages them to do so. The limited Australian data available question whether GPs have the skills to be able to effectively assist breastfeeding women, although no research has specifically addressed the breastfeeding knowledge or attitudes of Australian GPs. Additionally, there are no data detailing the breastfeeding training available to medical students, GP registrars or GPs. Aim This study aimed to identify the breastfeeding educational needs of Australian GP registrars and to develop a relevant and applicable breastfeeding educational resource within the context of these identified needs. Research design Triangulation methodology, using more than one data source and qualitative and quantitative data-collection methods, was chosen for this study to give a richer, more inclusive and wider reaching understanding of the issues involved than could be obtained by using one method alone. Therefore, to meet the aims of the study, a three phase mixed-method project with triangulation of data was designed. Phase 1 had three distinct data-collection arms: a quantitative survey of medical school curricula; focus groups with medical students from two Queensland medical schools; and interviews with eight GP registrars. Data from Phase 1 provided information about breastfeeding attitudes, knowledge needs and learning opportunities, and informed the development of a questionnaire sent to final-year GP registrars Australia-wide (Phase 2). The aim of this phase was to ascertain the GP registrars’ breastfeeding attitudes and knowledge gaps. Phase 3 used the outcomes of Phases 1 and 2 to design an educational resource that would meet the needs of GP registrars. Results Breastfeeding was included in the curricula of most of the Australian medical schools surveyed (n = 10). Many medical schools relied on contact between the student and patients to provide clinical experience and practical knowledge. Medical students and GP registrars reported marked variability in breastfeeding learning opportunities. Although both groups had positive breastfeeding attitudes, participants had differing opinions regarding doctors’ involvement in infant feeding decisions and the type of support and information offered to women. Overall, the breastfeeding attitudes of the 161 GP registrars who returned the questionnaire were positive (mean 3.99, 1 = least positive, 5 = most positive). However, while the mean breastfeeding knowledge score was 3.40, (1 = minimum score, 5 = maximum score) 40 percent of the knowledge items were incorrectly answered by more than half the cohort. Approximately 40 percent of the registrars were confident and thought they were effective assisting breastfeeding women. Nevertheless, only 23 percent thought they had had sufficient breastfeeding training. Registrars who thought their previous training was inadequate had lower knowledge scores, were less confident and perceived that they were less effective than the remainder of the cohort. A new finding from this study was that Australian-born registrars had more positive breastfeeding attitudes and higher knowledge scores than their overseas-born counterparts. In addition, while parents with more than 26 weeks’ personal breastfeeding experience (self or partner) had more positive breastfeeding attitudes and higher breastfeeding knowledge, confidence and perceived effectiveness scores, parents with less experience had less positive attitudes and poorer knowledge than non-parent participants. Similar to previous studies, gender had no effect on breastfeeding knowledge or attitudes. Using adult learning principles, a five-session, case-based breastfeeding educational resource addressing the knowledge deficits identified in the previous phases of the study was developed. Evaluation activities before and after each session, as well as exercises designed for reflection and critical thinking, were an integral part of the resource. Conclusion This study found that the breastfeeding training of Australian medical students and GP registrars was inadequate and, regardless of their positive breastfeeding attitudes, resulted in registrars being ill-prepared to assist breastfeeding women. Based on the training needs identified in the study and in the literature, an educational resource was developed that presented information within real-life case-based scenarios. Additional background information provided logic and rationale for diagnosis, management and treatment. While the implementation of the resource is outside the scope of this thesis (but will be the focus of post-doctoral work), it is believed that the resource has the potential to provide GP registrars with training opportunities to improve their breastfeeding knowledge and skills, thus better meeting the needs of breastfeeding women.

The thesis argues that processes of contemporary social change, broadly defined as postmodernisation, are undermining the authority and practices of the medical profession. It focuses on the increasing use of alternative medicine, by orthodox medical practitioners, as a site of radical social change. The thesis employs the middle-range theory of Mary Douglas and Aaron Wildavsky to explore changes in primary health at the institutional level. Data from interviews of health providers (n=50) and primary educational sources are used to provide empirical evidence of a significant challenge to the modernist medical hierarchy and its biomedical knowledge base. The evidence broadly supports the predictions of Douglas and Wildavsky, and those of the other macro-theorists associated with the study of globalisation and postmodernisation. Namely, contemporary society is characterised by a simultaneous shift of Centre to Periphery and vice versa. In the medical context, this has resulted in the increasing hybridisation and destabilisation of established forms of culture, knowledge and authority.

Bibliography: p. 379-394. / xi, 394 p. ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Public Health, 1988

This study explores the experiences of General Practitioners (GPs) and patients in the management of type 2 diabetes in contemporary Australia. I focus on the way the socioeconomic position of patients is a factor in that experience as my underlying interest is in exploring how health inequalities are understood, approached and handled in general practice. The study is thus a practical and grounded exploration of a widely debated theoretical issue in the study of social life, namely the relationship between the micro day-to-day interactions and events in the lives of individuals and the broad macro structure of society and the position of the individual within that. There is now wide acceptance and evidence that people’s social and economic circumstances impact on their health status and their experiences in the health system. However, there is considerable debate about the role played by primary medical care. Nevertheless, better theoretical understanding of the importance of psychosocial processes in generating social inequalities in health suggests medical care may well be important, as such processes are crucial in the care of chronic illnesses such as diabetes which are now such a large part of general practice work. I approach this study through an exploration of patient centred clinical practice. Patient centredness is a pragmatic, idealised prescriptive framework for clinical practice, particularly general practice. Patient centredness developed in part in response to critiques of biomedicine, and is premised on a notion of a more equal relationship between GP and patient, and one that places importance on the context of patients’ lives. It contains an implicit promise that it will help GP and patient engage with and confront social disadvantage.

This qualitative study investigates the evolving role of Divisions of General Practice (Divisions) in linking general practitioners (GPs) and general practice with the wider health sector in Australia. The work draws on boundary role theory within organisations, integration theories, empirical research on service integration involving general practice, and structural interests theory to develop the conceptual framework on which the research was based. The data for the research came from both documentary and interview sources that gave voice to Divisions in the state of Victoria, Australia. The documents used represented the core working documents of Divisions, and the semi-structured interviews involved 30 key informants, these being leaders in all Victorian Divisions.