Use of focus groups to assess the educational needs of the primary care physician for the management of asthma

Objectives To determine the educational needs of primary care physicians, i n the management of patients with asthma. Design FOCUS group discussions with physicians, pharmacists, respiratory th erapists and patients. Setting Metropolitan Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Participants Out of an original mail request to 100 potential recruits, 52 people attended the focus group sessions. These included physicians, pharma cists, respiratory therapists, adult patients and paediatric patients accom panied by their parents. Main outcome measure Consensus of the specific group being interviewed usin g facilitator-mediated responses, to identify problems in the care of asthm a patients and appropriate educational methods to improve the situation. Results Both diagnostic and treatment concerns were identified by the prima ry care physicians and others in the study. Confusion with infection was th e most common diagnostic problem. Major treatment problems involved confusi on about aspects of management strategy and a lack of communication between physicians, patients and other members of the health care team. Poor patie nt compliance and patients changing doctors frequently were also of major c oncern. There were inconsistencies in the treatment of asthma between physi cians. While most physicians felt that they were up-to-date in management, Asthma Control Guidelines were seldom followed. Conclusions There is an urgent need for continuing medical education, not o nly in management but also in communication with patients and with other me mbers of the health care team. The data permit the development of an ongoin g educational programme which is practical and designed to deal with the is sues identified in this survey.