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Biomedical subjects

G K Freeman

Publications and source records attributed to G K Freeman.

29 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1984

The clinical psychologist in general practice: a six-year study of consulting patterns for psychosocial problems.

Three quarters of the patients in a group practice referred to a clinical psychologist during a three-year period showed marked reductions in the consulting and psychotropic drug prescription rates in the six months after treatment compared with the six months leading up to treatment. However, the rates for the whole practice revealed a general falling trend over the period of study. Furthermore, examination of the records of all patients with at least one psychosocial problem over a six-year period during which they were registered with the practice has shown that encounters for psychosocial problems tended to be concentrated in a relatively short period - the ;worst year' - rather than being evenly distributed over the whole six years. It is concluded that the natural history of most psychological disorders is one of crisis and remission and that no benefit has been demonstrated from individual therapy by clinical psychologists.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1982

The preregistration houseman in general practice.

During 1979-80 an experimental preregistration house physician post in general practice was conducted at Aldermoor Health Centre in Southampton in rotation with medical posts at Southampton General Hospital. Ten house physicians took part in the experiment that lasted for 19 months and each doctor spent two months in general practice. The house physicians settled quickly into general practice and found the experience both enjoyable and worth while. The hospital consultants, general practitioners, and the house physicians themselves thought that this was a valuable extension to preregistration education. The experiment raised several questions, some of which were specific to the type of rotation organised and others that were more fundamental to the whole concept of the preregistration house physician in general practice. If the experiment is to be repeated a longer period in general practice is strongly recommended. A full year rotation is suggested with four months each of surgery, medicine, and general practice.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMed1981

General practice compliance study: is it worth being a personal doctor?

While lip service is paid to the concept of the personal doctor in British general practice, little evidence is available to show that personal doctoring improves patient care. The hypothesis that close identification with a general practitioner leads to better drug compliance was therefore tested. One hundred and nineteen patients from two health centres who were prescribed an antimicrobial drug for a new episode of illness were visited at home four or five days after the prescription was given and their compliance with the prescription and identification with their doctor assessed. Compliance with the prescription was found to be strongly associated with whether the patient thought that he knew the prescribing doctor well. It is suggested that more attention is paid to consultation technique, particularly with new patients. One way of improving compliance may be for patients to see the same general practitioner using a personal list system. Further studies are needed for patients taking long-term treatment, especially hypotensive drugs.

Drug Therapy↗
PubMed1981

'Do as I say and not as I do'? An audit of clinical management in teaching compared with service work.

The work of five principals in a teaching general practice was audited to examine differences in prescribing, investigation and follow-up between teaching and service work over a 3-week period. The patients seen in clinical teaching were found to be representative of those consulting in normal service sessions for both morbidity and age. Some big differences in clinical management were found including a strong tendency to prescribe less but investigate and follow up more when teaching. The prescribing differences were variable between morbidity groups. It is suggested that large differences correlated with areas where the doctors were least confident in their behavior, such as the use of antibiotics for respiratory illness and the use of tranquillizers for problems without a psychological diagnosis. It is concluded that while reductions in prescribing probably reflect better patient care, increases in investigations are more for the students' benefit.

Drug Prescriptions↗
PubMed1978

Analysis of primary care prescribing--a "constructive" coding system for drugs.

The introduction of a computerized medical information system as part of a project assessing quality in primary care required the coding of drugs prescribed. The development of a simple four-digit system is described, coding drug, therapeutic class, and route of administration. The system allows easy measurement of the use of combined preparations.The drugs used for insomnia and acute bronchitis have been analysed. The results show marked variation with the age of the patient.The potential for medical audit is discussed as it is now possible to link prescribing figures in routine primary care with relevant clinical information.

Adolescent↗