Is the routine recording of primary care consultations possible … and desirable? Lessons for researchers from a consultation with multiple stakeholders.
OBJECTIVE
To explore stakeholders' attitudes towards routine, longitudinal recording of primary care consultations for research purposes, and to identify legal, ethical, and practical barriers and facilitators.


METHODS
183 stakeholders (including patients, researchers and practice staff) were identified using a purposeful sampling strategy. Stakeholders participated in focus groups and interviews. The data was analysed thematically in an iterative manner with themes and questions from earlier discussions being raised with later participants.


RESULTS
Most participants supported the creation of a database and believed it would benefit patient care. They suggested it could be used to train doctors, aid understanding of conditions, and feed information back to practices to improve performance. However, enthusiasm was tempered by concerns about the ownership security and access of the data; quality and limitations of the dataset; impact on behaviour; and workload. Safeguards were suggested that protected vulnerable individuals, enabled participation, gave control to participants, and clarified data use.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings show that collecting such longitudinal data is possible, valuable and acceptable providing certain safeguards are in place.


CONCLUSIONS
Future studies employing routine recordings of consultations should: Attend to confidentiality, access and governance of the archive. Collect quality data, and store it securely.
Rushmer
Rosemary
R
Centre for Public Policy and Health, School of Medicine and Health, Wolfson Research Institute, University of Durham, Stockton-on-Tees, UK. rosemary.rushmer@durham.ac.uk
Themessel-Huber
Mark
M
Coyle
Joanne
J
Humphris
Gerry
G
Dowell
Jon
J
Williams
Brian
B
D035843:Biomedical Research / Q000379:methods*; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012107:Research Design; D012108:Research Personnel / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013637:Tape Recording; D016526:Workload