[Peer groups: a model for the continuous professional development in general practice].
OBJECTIVE
The purposes of this study were to analyse the peer groups' activity and functioning in General Practice in Isere department, the participants' characteristics, and their opinion on this activity.


METHODS
A census of existing groups was realized by asking professional organisations to provide us a complete list of the groups in the department. For each group, a member was asked to answer a questionnaire about the institution. Each general practitioner (GP) participating to a group was sent a questionnaire about his profile and was asked to give his personal opinion on the group.


RESULTS
The group inventory was difficult to realize, as no organisation was able to give us a complete list. Sixteen groups were included in the study, involving a total of 131 GPs. Groups were 1 to 10 years old, most of them were independent. The mean number of meetings was eight times a year. Participants were more often females, new graduates or young doctors, and internship supervisors. They were highly satisfied about this activity which allowed them to increase the quality of patient care (98%), and to change their practice (75%).


CONCLUSIONS
This study showed that peer group activity was growing in Isere. It was widely welcomed by GPs, who wondered in which way those groups could satisfy the obligations of professional development mentioned in the 2009 French law: Hospital, Patient, Health, Territory (HPST).
CHU de Grenoble, unité d'évaluation médicale, 38000 Grenoble, France. pfrancois@chu-grenoble.fr
Patrice
P
François
Anne-Cécile
AC
Philibert
Gérard
G
Esturillo
Elodie
E
Sellier
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D058006:General Practice / Q000193:education / Q000379:methods* / Q000458:organization & administration*; D058005:General Practitioners / Q000193:education* / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D010379:Peer Group; D011364:Professional Practice / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000639:trends; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires