Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2009 Nov;41(11):592-7.
doi: 10.1016/j.aprim.2009.05.005. Epub 2009 Jul 31.

[Analysis of the doubts of primary care doctors]

[Article in Spanish]
Arturo Louro González  1 , Emiliano Fernández Obanza, Elsa Fernández López, Patricia Vázquez Millán, Leonor Villegas González, Emilio Casariego Vales
Affiliations

[Analysis of the doubts of primary care doctors]

[Article in Spanish]
Arturo Louro González et al. Aten Primaria. 2009 Nov.

Abstract
in English, Spanish

Objective: To determine the doubts, their number and type that doctors have during routine clinics in primary care, as well as establishing methods that may be used to resolve them.

Design: Prevalence study.

Setting: Health centres in the provinces of A Coruña and Lugo.

Participants: A total of 81 primary care doctors, selected by simple random sampling. The sample size was calculated to obtain a total of 500 doubts. Only 2 doctors refused to take part.

Measurements: Number and types of doubts. Systems used to resolve them and when they were carried out.

Results: A mean of 1.7 doubts were detected (95% confidence interval; 1.59-1.82) for every 10 patients, of which 92% were seen as clinical problems. The 12 most frequent doubts made up 75% of all those that arose, with the interpretation of a clinical sign and treatment indications being the most common. In 51.6% of cases an attempt was made to resolve the doubt either during the consultation or during that day. A total of 35.7% of the doubts led to new appointments, either in the clinic itself or as a referral (23%). A total of 81.5% of those surveyed never used the Internet during the consultation and only 6.2% did this daily or often.

Conclusions: The number of doubts that primary care doctor has is relatively small (1.7 for every 10 patients). The most common way to try to resolve them is by referral to a specialist.

Objetivo: Determinar las dudas, cuántas y de qué tipo, que se plantea un facultativo de atención primaria durante su consulta ordinaria así como establecer los métodos que utiliza para resolverlas.

Diseño: Estudio de prevalencia.

Emplazamiento: Centros de salud de las provincias de A Coruña y Lugo.

Participantes: Ochenta y un médicos de atención primaria (MAP) seleccionados por muestreo aleatorizado simple. El tamaño de la muestra se calculó para localizar un total de 500 dudas. Sólo 2 facultativos rehusaron participar.

Mediciones: Número de dudas y su tipología. Sistemas utilizados para resolverlas y momento en que se efectuaron.

Resultados: Se detectaron 1,7 dudas (intervalo de confianza del 95%: 1,59 a 1,82) por cada 10 pacientes. El 92% de éstas se refería a problemas clínicos. Las 12 dudas más frecuentes representaron el 75% de todas las planteadas, en las que la interpretación de un signo clínico y las indicaciones de un tratamiento fueron las más habituales. En el 51,6% de los casos se intentó resolver la duda bien durante la consulta o bien durante esa mañana. El 35,7% de éstas generó nuevas citas, bien en la propia consulta o bien como interconsulta (23%). El 81,5% de los encuestados no utilizaba nunca internet durante la consulta y sólo el 6,2% lo hacía diariamente o a menudo.

Conclusiones: El número de dudas que se plantea un MAP es relativamente bajo (1,7 por cada 10 pacientes). La forma más habitual de intentar solucionarlas es realizar una interconsulta con un especialista.

PubMed Disclaimer

Comment in

References

    1. Louro González A. Demanda derivada en atención primaria. Med Clin (Barc) 1986;87:693–694. - PubMed
    1. Ely J.W., Osheroff J.A., Ebell M.H., Bergus G.R., Levy B.T., Chambliss M.L. Analysis of questions asked by family doctors regarding patient care. BMJ. 1999;319:358–361. - PMC - PubMed
    1. González-González A.I., Dawes M., Sánchez-Mateos J., Riesgo-Fuertes R., Escortell-Mayor E., Sanz-Cuesta T. Information needs and information-seeking behavior of primary care physicians. Ann Fam Med. 2007;5:345–352. - PMC - PubMed
    1. González-González A.I., Sánchez Mateos J.F., Sanz Cuesta T., Riesgo Fuertes R., Escortell Mayor E., Hernández Fernández T. Necesidades de información de los médicos de atención primaria: análisis de preguntas y su resolución. Aten Primaria. 2006;38:219–224.
    1. Hodgkin K. Diagnostic vocabulary for primary care. J Fam Pract. 1979;8:129–144. - PubMed

Publication types