A review of general practice reports: the need for standardisation

Fifty general practice annual reports were reviewed with a checklist to determine how much information was commonly included and whether they described the patients, the practice, and practice activity. The reports varied widely: important information was sometimes missing, practice activity was measured in different ways, and terms were often not defined. About half the reports reviewed did not draw conclusions or suggest plans for the future. Annual reports should include comparable basic information about patients, the practice, and the practice activity to optimise their usefulness in evaluation, planning, and decision making. Many relevant data are available from family practitioner committees and district health authorities.