A Patient-Centered Approach to a Rural General Practice in Distress and the Search for a Solution

A general practice in rural UK (Cumbria) was overwhelmed by staff burnout.

To present a case study for how the staff of a practice came together, used data, agreed on a plan for improvement, implemented the plan, improved subjective distress, and objectively evaluated the intervention.

We conducted an audit using the electronic health record for patients coming to the practice 5 or more times annually from 2008 to 2012 (frequent attenders). We planned an intervention to reduce utilization (frequency of visits) while still serving patients. The intervention used a genogram, psychoeducation, and up to six 30-minute sessions of solutions-focused psychotherapy, in which difficult interpersonal relationships were identified and efforts were made to resolve 1 major problem related to those relationships.

Quantitative data (number of visits per year) and qualitative data about the changes that resulted in the practice from the audit and the intervention.

The frequency of visits for patients with mental health conditions (41.0% of all frequent attenders in the practice) dropped significantly from 2007 to 2012 (p = 0.019; initial visits per year, 10.0, standard deviation = 2.51; final visits per year = 5.6, standard deviation = 3.8). The frequency of visits for patients without mental health diagnoses did not change.

Intervening with frequent attenders of primary care who have mental health conditions improved their symptoms and reduced their health care utilization, with beneficial impact on practitioners and improvement in the morale of the staff.