title: Who determines the patient mix of GP trainees? The role of the receptionist.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  During their specialty training, Dutch GP trainees work at a GP under the supervision of a GP trainer. Research suggests that the patient mix of GP trainees differs from that of their trainers. Receptionists assign patients to either the trainee or the trainer, thereby influencing the patient mix of the trainees. The decision to which doctor to assign is complex and depends on the latitude the receptionists have. Their considerations when assigning patients are unknown.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To study receptionists' assigning behaviour.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a questionnaire survey. To design the questionnaire, topics about assigning behaviour were identified in a focus group. The resulting questionnaire was sent to 478 GP training practices in the Netherlands.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Response rate was 68%. Of the receptionists, 95% asked for the reason for the consultation at least 'sometimes'. Most (86.3%) of the receptionists considered the patient mix of trainees and trainers to be similar. Almost all receptionists (97%) reported 'often' or 'always' assigning 'every possible problem' to the trainee and a similar picture arose regarding specific subpopulations. However, the receptionists reported that they assigned complex and new patients to the trainers more often than to trainees.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  With some exceptions, receptionists try to assign trainees a varied patient mix.
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical Methods and Public Health, Department of General Practice, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands. jipdejong@amc.uva.nl
authors.forename: Jip
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: de Jong
authors.forename: Mechteld R M
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Visser
authors.forename: Margreet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wieringa-de Waard
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002755:Choice Behavior; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate; D005260:Female; D058006:General Practice / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008496:Medical Receptionists; D009426:Netherlands; D024382:Professional Role; D057566:Self Report; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires