[General practitioners' views on the cooperation with nursing homes].
BACKGROUND
In addition to the coordination between primary and secondary health care, the collaboration between the general practitioner (GP) and the community-based nursing services is a challenge. While the GPs are responsible for his or her list patients' needs, the organisational structure and resource allocation of nursing home services is a community-based responsibility.


METHODS
Data on GPs' view on collaborative aspects of nursing home services was collected in a cross-sectional questionnaire survey among all Norwegian list-patient GPs in 2004 (N=1633).


RESULTS
Out of the 1637/3338 (48%) responding GPs, 1180 (72%) performed community-based services; 462 (37%) of the latter as nursing home physicians. Four out of five GPs found physician-based services for their list patients satisfactory. The GPs had an influence on the provision of nursing and care services in approximately 50% of cases. The less satisfied GPs were less frequently informed when their list patients received nursing home beds and less frequently asked to contribute patient information when the need for nursing home facilities was assessed. These latter GPs were more often of the opinion that GPs should play a major role in the decision for home-based versus nursing home services.


CONCLUSIONS
Although there is a potential for improvement in the exchange of information between nursing homes and GPs, 80% of the GPs were satisfied with physician-based services in nursing homes.
Kvaerner
Kari J
KJ
Senter for hode- og halsforskning, Akershus universitetssykehus, 1478 Nordbyhagen. k.j.kvarner@medisin.uio.no
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005194:Family Practice / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D033183:Interdisciplinary Communication; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D009664:Norway; D009735:Nursing Homes / Q000458:organization & administration; D010819:Physician's Role; D010821:Physicians, Family / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D000078329:Workforce