Work Content of General Practitioners in Beijing, China: A Multi-method Study.

Area of Science:

• Primary Care Research
• General Practice
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Primary care is expanding in China, but a lack of evidence exists on general practitioner (GP) activities and service delivery in Beijing.
• Understanding the daily work of GPs is crucial for effective healthcare system development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the diverse work content and activities of general practitioners (GPs) within Beijing's primary care system.
• To provide empirical data on GP roles, patient encounters, and associated tasks.

Main Methods:

• A multi-method approach combining non-participant observation and critical incident technique interviews.
• Observation of 1,100 patient encounters across five community health service institutions involving 11 GPs.
• Interviews focused on out-of-clinic tasks and challenges faced by GPs.

Main Results:

• GPs managed an average of 1.72 reasons for encounter and 2.51 health problems per patient visit.
• Consultations primarily focused on disease diagnosis and treatment, with limited physical examinations (15.5%) and investigations (17.1%).
• Chronic disease management procedures were infrequently provided (0.4-26.6%), and GPs engaged in various administrative, educational, and research tasks alongside clinical duties.

Conclusions:

• GP work in Beijing is characterized by complexity and a heavy workload, encompassing clinical, administrative, and educational responsibilities.
• There is a clear need for enhanced support systems and strategies to optimize GP performance and alleviate workload pressures in China's primary care sector.