title: Ambulatory medical care: a comparison of internists and family-general practitioners.
abstract: We analyzed data from the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey to compare the style of practice of two primary-care providers, general internists and family-general practitioners. Whereas internists spent 18.4 minutes with the average patient, family-general practitioners spent 13.0 minutes. Whereas internists used laboratory tests in 73 per cent of visits and x-ray tests in 53 per cent, family-general practitioners used these studies in 34 and 19 per cent of visits. Internists provided instructions regarding health problems in 17.8 per cent of visits, and family-general practitioners in 12.4 per cent. The two provider groups did not differ in terms of therapy for emotional problems, both providing it in a relatively low proportion of visits (3 per cent). Whether by choice or necessity, family-general practitioners spent less time examining and instructing patients, and they ordered fewer laboratory and x-ray studies. The implications of these differences for the cost and quality of primary care need further study.
mesh_terms: D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003376:Counseling; D003954:Diagnostic Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005194:Family Practice; D006266:Health Education; D006801:Humans; D007388:Internal Medicine; D011364:Professional Practice; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014481:United States