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A Raymont

Publications and source records attributed to A Raymont.

4 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1995

Geographical variations in the organisation of general practice.

AIMS: To describe organisational characteristics of New Zealand general practice and to investigate inter-regional variations in these characteristics. METHODS: Data were collected by standardised questionnaires from general practitioners in Auckland, Waikato and Taranaki. The Waikato data were collected in July-August 1991 by postal survey, the Taranaki data were collected May-June 1992 by postal survey and the Auckland data were collected December 1990 to January 1991 by face-to-face interview. RESULTS: The response rates were Auckland 98% (167/171), Waikato 84% (185/220) and Taranaki 79% (79/100). There were significantly more overseas trained graduates in rural areas than in urban areas. Average practice size was 2.3 full time equivalent doctors, with each 100 doctors employing 71 nurses and 77 receptionists. The number of patients seen per week ranged from 109-141. Almost all (95%) general practitioners operated appointment systems. One in five general practitioners had patients in private hospitals, and more than half (58%) had patients in rest homes. At the time of interview, 29% of Auckland general practitioners used computers in their practices compared with over 50% in Waikato and Taranaki (p < 0.05). A smaller proportion of Auckland general practitioners had access to age/sex registers and fewer Auckland general practitioners had a recall system. Of Auckland general practitioners with recall systems, a greater proportion used them for mammograms, blood pressure and lipid measurements compared with elsewhere. CONCLUSIONS: There are some significant regional variations in the functional characteristics of general practice in New Zealand which should be taken into account when planning primary care services in different regions. Should budget holding and managed care be introduced, computerised practices will be required. This will have significant resource implications.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

The Waikato Medical Care (WaiMedCa) Survey 1991-1992.

Objective. The main objective of this study is to provide a comprehensive description of general practice in the Waikato, an area which represents many aspects of New Zealand. Accurate, detailed and up to date information in this area is needed for future planning of medical education and the provision of health services. Survey method. The survey was conducted over one year, from September 1991 to August 1992. Participating general practitioners and practice nurses recorded details of a sample of patient encounters in the surgery or on home visits. Each participant was assigned four single weeks for data gathering over the course of the year. A one in five sub-sample of patients was also given questionnaires to complete immediately and two weeks after the consultations. This component of the study was reported elsewhere. Participants. A list of all active general practitioners working within the area covered by the Waikato Area Health board was constructed. All were contacted during May and June 1991 and asked to contribute to the study. During this initial, recruiting stage the practitioners and their practice nurses were asked to provide details of their professional background and to outline the structure, functions and size of their practices. Data collection. The variables studied included: provider characteristics (age, gender, qualifications, type of practice and services offered); patient attributes (age, gender, ethnicity, benefit category and occupation); patient reasons for encounter (up to four per encounter); doctor diagnoses (again up to four per encounter); drugs prescribed and or other treatments provided; tests and investigations ordered and referrals made; planned follow up and subjective view on the encounter. Data were centrally coded by trained staff. Patient reasons for encounter were coded according to NAMCS, practitioner diagnoses were classified into OXMIS, and drugs prescribed were allocated into the ATC classification system. Participation rate. 87% of practitioners (182/209), 89% of practices (95/107), and 80% of practice nurses (150/189) completed the initial recruitment survey. The participation rate at the first phase of the encounter survey was 80.5% (169/210), but this had dropped to 65.7% (136/207) by the fourth collection week. An overall response rate of 68.6% was achieved, representing successful collection of encounter data in 562 of 819 potential doctor recording weeks. On average, general practitioners recorded 109 encounters per week, from which they selected on average a sample of 23 patients for the survey. They described 141 problems per 100 encounters, of which 49 were new. On average general practitioners made less than three home visits per 100 encounters.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Development, "welfare," and fertility: a simple macroanalysis.

Accepting the theoretical position that desired family size is likely to diminish as economic modernization occurs, the author analyzes the association between fertility and development using recent national data from less developed countries. Measures of income and equality are combined to provide an index of population "welfare." Multiple and cross-lagged correlations are used to demonstrate the magnitude and nature of the relationship between welfare and fertility rates. Despite inadequacies of the data, high negative correlations are obtained, and evidence is advanced to show that the direction of causation is from welfare to fertility.

Adult↗