[Telephone accessibility in general practices].
BACKGROUND
We wanted to chart telephone accessibility in 100 randomly selected general practices in Norway and to define a standard against which others could compare themselves.


METHODS
During one week, the telephone company recorded all calls to each practice and how many were answered, unanswered, or blocked. Mean waiting time for answer and mean conversation time were also registered. Each practice received a report, comparing its own results to those of other practices. An accessibility index was calculated by dividing the percentage of answered calls with mean holding time on the line (waiting time plus conversation time). Background variables about the practices were collected by questionnaires.


RESULTS
There were 266 calls (95 % confidence interval 219 - 312) per week per 1000 patients on the list. 66 % (61 - 71) were answered. Mean waiting time was 25 seconds (20 - 30), conversation time 119 seconds (111 - 127). It is estimated that 7.0 calls (6.4 - 7.5) are answered per patient on a list per year. The accessibility index showed large variations, mostly independent of background variables.


CONCLUSIONS
Compared with earlier registrations, telephone accessibility has improved despite a strong increase in traffic. Structural aspects of the practices do not explain the variation in telephone accessibility; interest and attitudes are probably just as important.
Sandvik
Hogne
H
Seksjon for allmennmedisin, Institutt for samfunnsmedisinske fag, Universitetet i Bergen, Kalfarveien 31, 5018 Bergen. hogne.sandvik@isf.uib.no
Hunskår
Steinar
S
D005194:Family Practice / Q000592:standards; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D009664:Norway; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013689:Telephone; D013997:Time Factors