Priority given by doctors to continuity of care.

Area of Science:

• General Practice
• Healthcare Management
• Patient Care

Background:

• Continuity of care is a key aspect of primary healthcare delivery.
• Understanding general practitioners' (GPs) perspectives on continuity is crucial for service organization.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the attitudes of general practitioners in the Wessex region towards continuity of care.
• To explore how GPs define continuity and its organizational priorities.

Main Methods:

• A postal questionnaire was sent to 297 general practitioners in the Wessex region.
• A 94% response rate was achieved with 280 complete replies.
• Doctors were asked to define continuity of care or rank practice organization priorities, and report their list type (personal or combined).

Main Results:

• A majority of GPs (61%) defined continuity of care as receiving care from a single doctor.
• Personal continuity was significantly more valued by doctors in large practices (list size ≥ 10,000) compared to small practices.
• GPs in large practices were more inclined to utilize personal lists.

Conclusions:

• General practitioners widely value continuity of care, often equating it with single-doctor care.
• Practice size influences the perception and prioritization of personal continuity.
• The findings suggest a link between practice organization (list type) and the emphasis on personal continuity.