Extent and utilisation of computerisation in Australian general practice.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the availability of computers to general practitioners and individual GPs' use of computers for clinical functions.


METHODS
A secondary analysis of data from a random sample of 1319 Australian GPs who participated in the Bettering the Evaluation and Care of Health (BEACH) survey, a continuous cross-sectional survey of general practice activity, between November 2003 and March 2005. Participants reported the availability of computers at their major practice address and the clinical functions for which they used the computers.


METHODS
Proportion of practices with computers available; proportion of individual GPs who used computers for clinical purposes.


RESULTS
The proportion of GPs not using a computer was 11.2% (6% did not have a computer at their major practice address and a further 5.2% chose not to use an available computer). The majority of GPs using a computer at work used it for electronic prescribing (94.7%), ordering tests (82.2%) and keeping some patient data in an electronic medical record (79.5%). Of those with clinical software available (n = 1114), 6.6% chose not to use it. A third of GPs (32.8%) kept all patient information in an electronic format. The proportion of GPs keeping all data electronically and using all clinical functions available in their computer was 21.7%.


CONCLUSIONS
While the physical presence of computers has increased significantly over the past decade, GPs are still reluctant to fully embrace the technology.
Henderson
Joan
J
Family Medicine Research Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia. joanh@med.usyd.edu.au
Britt
Helena
H
Miller
Graeme
G
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001315:Australia; D003201:Computers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005194:Family Practice / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D016347:Medical Records Systems, Computerized / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires