Information management in primary medical care in South Australia

The objectives of this study were to describe how GPs in South Australia manage and use office and clinical information, as well as their plans for the future. The study was set in a primary medical care centre in South Australia, and used a cross-sectional study with a mail questionnaire. Utilization of and satisfaction with office and clinical information management systems, with a focus on the use of patient summaries were outcome measures. A random sample was obtained from a register of GPs in South Australia that had been stratified into geographic regions based on socioeconomic indicators. Sixty-eight per cent of GPs approached responded (n = 315). There was no significant difference in response rate from each region. The use of computer applications was comparable to that in the general population. Half the GPs used index cards and 5% used computer-based records. Users of RACGP problem-oriented A4 folders were most (92%) and index card users least (65%) satisfied. The use of patient summaries could be improved. GPs planned to change to computer-based billing, more comprehensive paper-based records and computer-based patient records. Perceived reasons for and obstacles to change were documented. Factors that influenced the use of different forms of office and clinical information management were type and place of practice, staff employed, gender, a diploma in obstetrics, age, year of graduation, type of record used and satisfaction with it, vocational registration, FRACGP and FMP training. Given the pattern of utilization, generally low satisfaction and planned changes, there is an unmet need for useful office and clinical information management systems in general practice.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)