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Exploring considerations for becoming a GP practice owner: a qualitative study
Hinda Stegeman1, Manna A Alma2, Hanneke Pm Vervoort3
1Business Administration, Primary and Long Term Care, University Medical Centre Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands h.a.stegeman@umcg.nl.
General practice owners are vital for healthcare continuity. Young general practitioners (GPs) face complex factors influencing their decision to become practice owners, impacting the future of primary care.
Area of Science:
- Primary Care Medicine
- General Practice Management
- Healthcare Workforce Studies
Background:
- General practice owners ensure 24/7 access to care but face challenges recruiting associates and successors.
- A declining number of practice owners jeopardizes continuity of care (COC).
- Limited understanding exists regarding young GPs' career considerations and barriers/facilitators to practice ownership.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the career considerations of general practitioners (GPs) regarding practice ownership.
Main Methods:
- A qualitative study was conducted in the north of the Netherlands.
- Ninety GPs (trainees, freelance/salaried, owners, ex-owners) were recruited for focus groups and interviews.
- Thematic analysis was applied to transcribed verbatim recordings.
Main Results:
- Practice ownership decisions involve a complex interplay of professional, personal, external, and process-related factors over time.
- Continuity of care (COC), autonomy, and personal development positively influenced ownership decisions.
- Work-life balance, ultimate responsibility, negative role models, unappealing practices, preparedness, and process issues negatively impacted considerations; non-owners felt ownership was undiscussable.
Conclusions:
- Enhancing perceived behavioral control and subjective norms, alongside open dialogue on practice ownership and alternative models, is necessary.
- Findings provide a basis for future quantitative research to address the shortage of practice owners.
- This research can identify universal and country-specific themes related to practice ownership.
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