title: Evaluation of standards of practice for general practitioners using eight hypothetical cases.
abstract: Concerns about the quality of primary care in New Zealand have increased over recent years as the scarcity of research in this field has become more apparent. A survey was undertaken among 132 general practitioners in Otago and Southland to gauge the degree of consensus of care for eight hypothetical cases. An 87.3% response rate was obtained. The year of graduation of the respondents was a significant factor in determining the response to the choice of management options for the paediatric sore throat and the benign hypertension cases. A variation in treatment of a 65 year old with epigastric pain was seen between rural and urban practitioners, with the cluster containing the most rural practitioners being least likely to undertake detailed diagnostic procedures.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Practice, University of Otago Medical School, Dunedin.
authors.forename: M W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Tilyard
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Dovey
mesh_terms: D002908:Chronic Disease; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006801:Humans; D008722:Methods; D009520:New Zealand; D010819:Physician's Role; D010821:Physicians, Family / Q000592:standards*; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000592:standards*; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012423:Rural Health; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014504:Urban Health