First year of practice visits for the Rural Depression Anxiety Research and Treatment General Practice program.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the first 12 months activities of a key component of a General Practice Psychiatry program - the GP practice visit.


METHODS
Questionnaire to evaluate effects on participating general practitioners practice.


METHODS
Rural group general practices.


METHODS
Thirty-two general practitioners in the Loddon Campaspe Southern Mallee region in Victoria.


METHODS
Practice visits involved a combination of each of three key activities: primary consultation, secondary consultation and/or case discussion and formal teaching.


RESULTS
General practitioners reported a variety of changes in their practice as a result of the visits.


CONCLUSIONS
Practice visits appear to be a useful means of influencing GP's practice. Further work is required to determine whether such changes are accompanied by demonstrable benefits in patient outcome.


BACKGROUND
Several models to assist GPs effectively manage mental health problems have been described. These models require regular contact and so have had limited utility in rural settings.


CONCLUSIONS
This study suggests that infrequent contact or input, based on well established models, can alter GP's clinical behaviour.
Judd
Fiona
F
Centre for Rural Mental Health, School of Psychiatry, Psychology & Psychological Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne and Bendigo Health Care Group, Bendigo, Victoria, Australia. fjudd@bendigohealth.org.au
Cockram
Alex
A
Davis
Julian
J
Fahey
Anne
A
Hodgins
Gene
G
Jackson
Henry
H
Scopelliti
Joe
J
D001007:Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing / Q000458:organization & administration; D005194:Family Practice / Q000193:education* / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D017146:Models, Organizational; D010821:Physicians, Family / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000458:organization & administration; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011570:Psychiatry / Q000193:education* / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000458:organization & administration; D012106:Research / Q000458:organization & administration; D019035:Rural Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D014739:Victoria / Q000453:epidemiology