Time use during acute and chronic illness visits to a family physician.
OBJECTIVE
To identify differences in time use during acute and chronic care visits.


METHODS
Patients coming to outpatient offices of physician members of a practice-based research network in Ohio.


METHODS
Direct observation and coding of physician activities during acute and chronic care visits.


RESULTS
Time use varied by visit type with more time spent on compliance assessment, negotiation, and nutrition advice during chronic care visits. Acute care visits included more time for procedures, physical examination, feedback on test results and health education.


CONCLUSIONS
Physicians structure their use of time to fit the differing goals of acute and chronic care visits.
Yawn
Barbara
B
Department of Research, Olmsted Medical Center, 210 Ninth Street SE, Rochester, MN 55904, USA. yawnx002@tc.umn.edu
Goodwin
Meredith A
MA
Zyzanski
Stephen J
SJ
Stange
Kurt C
KC
D000208:Acute Disease / Q000628:therapy; D001071:Appointments and Schedules; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000628:therapy; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005194:Family Practice / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D019370:Observation; D009819:Office Visits / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009820:Ohio; D013996:Time and Motion Studies