Contrasts between metropolitan and rural general practice in the delivery of after-hours care
Mira, M.; Cooper, C.; Maandag, A.
Australian Family Physician 24(6): 1064-1067
1995
ISSN/ISBN: 0300-8495 PMID: 7625941 Document Number: 449026
To describe: 1. current arrangements for the delivery of after-hours primary care in general practice. 2. GPs' satisfaction with these arrangements, and 3. the perceived barriers to improving after-hours care in general practice. Telephone survey of a random sample of general practitioners using a standardised questionnaire. Two general practice populations, one urban (Central Sydney Division), and one rural (Central Western Division). The response rate was 71%. Almost all rural GPs (95%) provided after-hours care whereas 50% of urban practices provided after-hours care for their patients. Rural GPs expressed a significantly higher degree of satisfaction with their after-hours care arrangements. Half of the GPs providing all their after-hours care reported that they would be prepared to enter into co-operative arrangements with other practices. Thirty-seven per cent of urban GPs who did not provide all their after-hours care indicated that they would be prepared to enter into co-operative arrangements with other practices. Many of the barriers to providing effective after-hours care may be overcome by establishing after-hours co-operatives.