Problem solving styles of general practitioners in simulated clinical situations

Self-assessments were received from 210 general practitioners responding to a series of six patients management problems published in a Norwegian medical journal. The physicians were invited to give their ratings on a five-point rating scale for 21 to 24 statements relating to each of the six case histories. From these ratings an answer index was prepared which measured the degree of decisiveness for each individual physician. The responding physicians showed great variations in their problem solving styles. Physicians with a high degree of decisiveness in their problem solving styles had significantly longer experience as general practitioners, were older and were more likely to work in single-handed practices rather than group or partnership practices. Sex, practice economy and work load were some of the variables not related to the observed differences in problem solving styles.