Related Experiment Videos
The relationship between consultation length, process and outcomes in general practice: a systematic review
1Department of General Practice and Primary Care, University of Leicester, Leicester General Hospital, Leicester LE5 4PW. aw7@le.ac.uk
Summary
Patients seeing doctors who spend more time with them experience better consultations. This systematic review highlights differences in care processes and health outcomes based on physician consultation rates.
Area of Science:
- Primary Care Medicine
- Health Services Research
Background:
- Variations exist in primary care physician consultation rates.
- Understanding the impact of consultation time on patient outcomes is crucial for improving healthcare quality.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how different consultation rates among primary care physicians affect the consultation process and patient health outcomes.
- To identify specific differences in care elements associated with varying physician consultation styles.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review of observational studies published in English.
- Searches conducted in MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the NHS National Research Register.
- Qualitative analysis with narrative overview of methodologies and results from thirteen identified papers (ten studies).
Main Results:
- Consistent differences observed in consultation process and outcomes between general practitioners (GPs) consulting at different rates.
- Average consultation length appears to be a marker for other physician attributes.
- Patients consulting with physicians who allocate more time per patient reported consultations with more essential care elements.
Conclusions:
- Physician consultation time is associated with specific differences in the quality of care provided.
- Longer consultations may lead to improved patient experience and inclusion of key healthcare elements.
- Further research into optimizing consultation duration in primary care is warranted.