PubMed · 11931049
The source did not provide an abstract. Follow the original record for more information.
Explore connections, maps & timelines
M Sharpe. 2001. Rethinking somatization.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11931049/
Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.
KEEP EXPLORING
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
General practice is suffering a crisis of status, as shown by financial, power and intellectual markers. This is serious as a strong general-practice workforce is important to deliver cost-effective, high-quality healthcare. We argue that strengthening the intellectual aspects of general practice (particularly critical thinking) is essential. Most strategies to achieve this centre on research, with many initiatives in Australia and overseas to enhance research by general practitioners; there is still insufficient clinical research in general practice. Other ways to improve critical thinking include promoting use of evidence-based medicine, provided it is not implemented only via "cook-book" guidelines. Other innovations are desperately needed.
OBJECTIVES: To explore how Australian general practitioners use pharmaceutical decision-support (PDS) systems; to determine GPs' perceptions of the deficiencies and strengths of these systems; and how they believe they can be improved. DESIGN AND SETTING: Qualitative analysis of discussion from three focus groups of GPs (from one rural and two urban Divisions of General Practice) between April and May 2002. PARTICIPANTS: 22 GPs selected to include users of the five most popular prescribing/clinical practice software products available in Australia. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Advantages and disadvantages of using PDS software; ideas for improving PDS systems; attitudes to electronic evidence-based guidelines. RESULTS: GPs believed that important interactions may be missed because of desensitisation resulting from too many alerts (which also intrude on workflow); that interaction alerts need to be severity graded and only significant ones should appear; and that improved computer-user interface design could enhance the usefulness of PDS systems. CONCLUSIONS: Our results will provide useful feedback to government, software vendors and software developers on the needs and expectations of end users and on the development of agreed software standards.