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Biomedical subjects

J Biehn

Publications and source records attributed to J Biehn.

11 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1997

Long-term attendance at a family practice teaching unit. Qualitative study of patients' views.

OBJECTIVE: To identify the factors that contribute to patients' long-term attendance at a family practice teaching unit. DESIGN: Qualitative method of focus groups. SETTING: A community-based family practice teaching unit in southwestern Ontario. PARTICIPANTS: Patients who had been coming to St Joseph's Family Medical Centre for more than 15 years were purposefully selected to participate. METHOD: Five focus groups composed of patients who had been affiliated with one of the three practices at the Centre for more than 15 years explored factors contributing to long-term attendance. MAIN FINDINGS: Four key themes were identified as the primary factors contributing to long-term attendance: the relationship context, the team concept, professional responsibility and attitudes, and comprehensive and convenient care. CONCLUSION: The resource-rich era of medical care, during which participants formulated their views and opinions about the factors contributing to their long-term attendance at a family practice teaching unit, has come to a close. The findings of this study provide important information that could help maintain one of the basic tenets of family medicine-continuity of care.

Adult↗
PubMed1982

Managing uncertainty in family practice.

Because patients present in the early stages of undifferentiated problems, the family physician often faces uncertainty, especially in diagnosis and management. The physician's uncertainty may be unacceptable to the patient and may lead to inappropriate use of diagnostic procedures. The problem is intensified by the physician's hospital training, which emphasizes mastery of available knowledge and decision-making based on certainty. Strategies by which a physician may manage uncertainty include (a) a more open doctor-patient relationship, (b) understanding the patient's reason for attending the office, (c) a thorough assessment of the problem, (d) a commitment to reassessment and (e) appropriate consultation.

Decision Making↗