[Is the system of assigned general practitioners more demanding for female than male physicians?]

Abstract

The Ministry of Health has tried out and evaluated the personal doctor system in four municipalities in Norway (1993-96). We have explored the reported workload, and whether there were any reporting differences between female and male doctors. We also explored some of the possible factors explaining the reported increased workload. The doctors reported their workload by a postal questionnaire survey. The information from the questionnaires was linked to the doctors' lists received from the National Insurance Administration and were analysed separately for male and female doctors. Female doctors had more women and children on their patient lists, male doctors more men and elderly people. 50% of all the doctors reported that their workload was too heavy. There were no significant differences between male and female doctors in reporting too heavy total workload. 52% of male doctors and 82% of female doctors reported an increase in workload after the introduction of personal doctor system (p < 0.05). Of the explaining factors analysed, only women-dominated lists were associated with reported heavy workload among female doctors (p < 0.05). If the personal doctor system is to be introduced as a national system, it would seem important to have some control over the generation of lists to avoid too heavy workloads.