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What's Happening in General Practice?
A contrasting view
Ian Watts
Principal Policy Adviser, Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, Melbourne VIC
Nathan Pinskier
Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, Melbourne VIC
Abstract
A contrasting view to that taken by Kevin White (2001) in his paper 'What's happening in general practice: capitalist monopolization and state administrative control: a profession bailing out?' is provided.
This alternate view argues that there may be limited change in some of the key elements of general practice and that the information explosion may provide new leverage for general practice. It suggests that corporations providing management or administrative services in general practice may continue to be part of the landscape, rather than the landscape.
The paper suggests in conclusion that consumers may need to be more aware of the role of government in constraining their health care choices than of corporations in the general practice field.
Keywords
consumers, corporatisation, general practice, incentives, profession
References
Brisbane North Division of General Practice (2000) Results of Consumer Market Research, http://www.bndgp.com.au/mktrsch.pdf.
Brisbane North Division of General Practice (2001) General Practice - Building on Quality Project: Interim Report on Divisional Analysis,
http://www.bldoq.com/source/downloads/Interim_Report_from_BNDGP.PDF.
Howie JGR, Heaney DJ, Maxwell M, Walker JJ, Freeman GK and Rai H (1999) Quality at general practice consultations: cross sectional survey, British Medical Journal 319 (18 September): 738-43.
Jeacocke D, Heller R, Gibberd R, Halpin S, Aldrich R, Smith J and Anthony D (2000) Evidence-based indicators for improving the quality of health care provision in General Practice: Summary of Final Report, Newcastle Institute of Public Health, unpublished.
Kaplan SH, Gandek B, Greenfield S, Rogers W and Ware JU (1995) Patient and Visit Characteristics Related to Physicians' Participatory Decision-Making Style - Results from the Medical Outcomes Study, Medical Care 33(12): 1176-87.
Little P, Everitt H, Williamson I, Warner G, Moore M, Gould C, Ferrier K and Payne S (2001) Observational study of effect of patient centredness and positive approach on outcomes of general practice consultations, British Medical Journal 323(20 October): 908-911.
Mechanic D (1996) Changing Medical Organization and the Erosion of Trust, Milbank Quarterly 74(2): 171-189.
Robinson J (2001) Theory and Practice in the Design of Physician Payment Incentives, Milbank Quarterly 79(2): 149-77.
White K (2001) What's happening in general practice: capitalist monopolisation and state administrative control: a profession bailing out? Annual Review of Health Social Sciences 10: 5-18.
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