Original Research Article
Year: 2014 | Month: February | Volume: 4 | Issue: 2 | Pages: 12-15
Profile of Patients Attending a General Practitioner’s Clinic in Vadodara City, Gujarat
Patel Maharshi V1*, Desai Gaurav J2**, Bhavsar Bharat S1***
*Resident Doctor, **Assistant Professor, ***HOD & Professor,
1Dept. of Community Medicine, Smt. B.K. Shah Medical Institute & Research Center, Sumandeep Vidyapeeth, Piparia, Vadodara, Gujarat, India.
2Department of Community Medicine, Gujarat Adani Institute of Medical Science, Bhuj, Gujarat, India.
Corresponding Author: Patel Maharshi V
ABSTRACT
Background: The general practitioner is a specialist trained to work in the front line of a healthcare system and to take the initial steps to provide care for any health problem(s) that patients may have.
Objectives: To evaluate the Socio-demography and pattern of patients attending the OPD of a general practitioner clinic.
Materials and Methods: Cross-sectional study done in Vadodara city during January 2010 to December 2010. Study population was all patients attending selected clinic. Study included the data of all the patients who were visit during study period at selected clinic. Data were collected by pretested questionnaire. Investigator went at selected clinic every day and collects the data of previous day.
Results: Study was found that clinic included under study had adequate waiting place, IEC material and all the facilities were sheltered from weather condition. Complete history taking and relevant physical examination was done only in 53% cases. GP recorded Temperature in only 32% cases of fever, Provisional diagnosis was not written in 15% cases and 46% explained prescription to the patients which was very less.
Conclusion: Lack of communication between provider and patients lead to inadequate gathering of information during consultation, leading to incorrect diagnosis, inadequate treatment and explanation, and inadequate understanding on part of client and thus, inadequate follow-up of instructions.
Key words: General Practitioner, Health Infrastructure, Practice, Primary Care.