[Female and male general practitioners' patient lists].
BACKGROUND
Implementation of the Regular General Practitioner (RGP) Scheme in Norway in June 2001, had as a goal to ensure regular access to a predefined local GP for all patients and hence improve continuity. The RGP Scheme is a contractual system; patients can only be listed with one GP at a time, but can change doctor at their own will twice a year without stating reasons for doing so. Study goals were to determine whether and how patient lists have changed with respect to gender and age since implementation of the RPG Scheme.


METHODS
Data from June 2001 to December 2004 were retrieved from The National Insurance Administration and Statistics Norway. GP patient lists in Oslo and Norway, for female and male doctors, were examined with respect to shifts in patient age and gender.


RESULTS
There was a clear tendency for women (25-49 years) and children (0-11 years) to aggregate on female GP lists, and for men (25-49 years) and elderly of both sexes to aggregate on male GP lists.


CONCLUSIONS
Two thirds of the GPs in Oslo and half of those in Norway had open lists. This made it easier for patients in Oslo to change and find a doctor of their choice. The situation in Oslo illustrates how patient age and gender may typically be distributed on lists for male and female GPs in times with good GP coverage.
Rønsen
Yngve
Y
Oppsal legekontor, Håkon Tveters vei 88, Postboks 45 Oppsal, 0619 Oslo. yronsen@frisurf.no
Hjortdahl
Per
P
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002755:Choice Behavior; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care; D005194:Family Practice / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010361:Patients / Q000523:psychology; D010821:Physicians, Family / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010822:Physicians, Women / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017678:Sex Distribution