TRUE BELIEVERS - CHARACTERISTICS OF GENERAL-PRACTITIONERS IN VICTORIAN COMMUNITY-HEALTH CENTERS

Citation
M. Montalto et al., TRUE BELIEVERS - CHARACTERISTICS OF GENERAL-PRACTITIONERS IN VICTORIAN COMMUNITY-HEALTH CENTERS, Australian journal of public health, 18(4), 1994, pp. 424-428
Citations number
19
Categorie Soggetti
Public, Environmental & Occupation Heath
ISSN journal
10357319
Volume
18
Issue
4
Year of publication
1994
Pages
424 - 428
Database
ISI
SICI code
1035-7319(1994)18:4<424:TB-COG>2.0.ZU;2-M
Abstract
General practitioners have been part of multidisciplinary services in Victorian Community Health Centers (CHCs) for 20 years. This model ins titutionalises a high degree of integration between general practition ers and other primary care and community service personnel. Of 51 elig ible full-time general practitioners in Victorian CHCs, 46 were interv iewed, using a structured questionnaire. General practitioners in CHCs were younger, less experienced and more likely to be female than othe r general practitioners. Nearly three-quarters were salaried. The phil osophy of practice and the conditions of employment were the commonest reasons for entering CHC practice. Teamwork and the conditions of emp loyment were felt to be the biggest advantages of CHC practice, while difficulties with management and the perceived loss of professional ow nership and control were the commonest disadvantages. None reported in terference from the CHC management in their clinical practice. Nearly a quarter of full-time CHC general practitioners do not undertake any formal community health promotion activities. Forty-five per cent of r espondents intended to leave their CHC within the next five years. Uni versal health insurance has diminished the impact of CHC general pract ice. The philosophy of CHCs and the salaried nature of the employment continues to attract general practitioners. High staff turnover is a f eature of CHC general practice, in part related to young doctors makin g an initial, but not long-term commitment to CHC practice. However, t he loss of professional control and management difficulties should be addressed, as these may contribute to the high turnover.