Interruptions during general practice consultations--the patients' view.
BACKGROUND
Although most aspects of the consultation have been extensively reported there is very little information on the effects of interruptions on the consultation.


OBJECTIVE
We wished to discover the patients' view of interruptions.


METHODS
In this pilot study the sources and frequency of interruptions to the consultations of a single general practitioner were measured. The effects of interruptions on 102 patients whose consultations were interrupted were then ascertained using a simple questionnaire.


RESULTS
The overall interruption rate was found to be 10.2%. The telephone was the commonest source of interruption, accounting for 50% of interruptions. Although most patients did not perceive the interruption as having an important effect on the consultation, 20% of patients did feel that the interruption had a bad effect on the consultation and 40% of patients felt it would have been better not to have been interrupted. A majority of patients (52%) did not feel that the reason for the interruption was important. Although most patients did not feel affected by the interruption, a significant minority (18%) of patients had a strongly negative emotional response to the interruption.


CONCLUSIONS
In view of these findings the need for further work has been highlighted.
Dearden
A
A
Department of General Practice, University of Wales College of Medicine, Cardiff, UK.
Smithers
M
M
Thapar
A
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care / Q000592:standards; D004644:Emotions; D005194:Family Practice / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000592:standards*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires