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- Title
Physicians and Non-Physician Health Practitioners: The Characteristics of Their Practices And Their Relationships.
- Authors
Simborg, Donald W.; Starfield, Barbara H.; Horn, Susan D.
- Abstract
Six primary care practices which utilize both physician and non-physician practitioner types were studied to measure differences between practitioner types in the care of patients. By chart review 1.369 patient-practitioner encounters were examined. Physicians identified less symptoms and signs in their patients and prescribed less non-drug therapies than (lid non-physicians, likewise, at follow-up visits. physicians tended to document less follow-up of these types of problems and therapies than non-physicians. When examining the interaction between practitioners, the highest rates of follow-up of all types of problems and therapies were found when the same practitioner saw the patient at two successive visits to the same clinic. When a physician saw a patient following a previous visit to a nurse practitioner, there was a significant drop-off in the follow-up rate of problems and therapies. However, when a nurse practitioner saw the patient following a previous visit to a physician, the drop-off in follow-up rates was not as striking. These findings indicate that the skills of physician and nonphysician practitioners are potentially complementary. However, this potential is not fully exploited, particularly by physicians.
- Subjects
INTERPERSONAL relations; NURSE-patient relationships; SYMPTOMS; MEDICAL care; PRIMARY care; DRUG therapy
- Publication
American Journal of Public Health, 1978, Vol 68, Issue 1, p44
- ISSN
0090-0036
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.2105/AJPH.68.1.44