A survey of the risk-management behaviours of Australian general practitioners

Johnson, M; Chang, S; Murphy, B; Payne, S

A survey of the risk-management behaviours of Australian general practitioners

Johnson, M Chang, S

Murphy, B Payne, S

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Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Quality in Primary Care, 2008, 16 (1), pp. 7 - 15
Issue Date:: 2008-04-04

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Johnson, M	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Chang, S https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0723-3192	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Murphy, B	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Payne, S	en_US
dc.date.issued	2008-04-04	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	Quality in Primary Care, 2008, 16 (1), pp. 7 - 15	en_US
dc.identifier.issn	1479-1072	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/29035
dc.description.abstract	Background: To assist general practitioners (GPs) in minimising their risk of medical error, the education unit of a medical insurer developed a survey that assessed the risk-management behaviours of GPs. Objective: This study describes the risk-management behaviours of Australian GPs and how they vary by age, sex and workload intensity. Method: A cross-sectional survey of 572 practising GPs, from a random selection of 1657 insured GPs, formed the data for analysis. GPs self-reported their behaviour using the valid and reliable Know your Risk - GP-Non-procedural Scale. Results: GPs reported performing risk-management behaviours frequently in six key areas: practitioner communication, facilitating patient responses, managing adverse outcomes, practice setting, diagnosis, and prescribing/treatment. Risk-management behaviours varied little by age, sex or workload, with 'facilitating patient responses' being a key domain in age, sex and workload differences (older GPs and women self-reported higher performance) later found to be not significant when the interaction of age, sex and workload was examined. Conclusion: Most GPs were actively engaged in general risk-management behaviours. This self-assessment tool and education strategy identified areas for improvement for individual GPs. The initiative prompted GPs to seek additional education including practice reviews. This risk-management strategy would be applicable to sole practices, group practices and divisions of general practice. Workload intensity may be a major consideration in the focus and extent of participation in risk-management behaviours, and research using varying levels of workload intensity is recommended. © 2008 Radcliffe Publishing.	en_US
dc.relation.ispartof	Quality in Primary Care	en_US
dc.subject.classification	General & Internal Medicine	en_US
dc.subject.classification	Public Health	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Humans	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Medication Errors	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Cross-Sectional Studies	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Adult	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Middle Aged	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Physicians, Family	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Risk Management	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Workload	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	New South Wales	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Female	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Male	en_US
dc.title	A survey of the risk-management behaviours of Australian general practitioners	en_US
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	1	en_US
utslib.citation.volume	16	en_US
utslib.for	1117 Public Health and Health Services	en_US
pubs.embargo.period	Not known	en_US
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - CHSP - Health Services and Practice
utslib.copyright.status	closed_access
pubs.issue	1	en_US
pubs.publication-status	Published	en_US
pubs.volume	16	en_US

Abstract:

Background: To assist general practitioners (GPs) in minimising their risk of medical error, the education unit of a medical insurer developed a survey that assessed the risk-management behaviours of GPs. Objective: This study describes the risk-management behaviours of Australian GPs and how they vary by age, sex and workload intensity. Method: A cross-sectional survey of 572 practising GPs, from a random selection of 1657 insured GPs, formed the data for analysis. GPs self-reported their behaviour using the valid and reliable Know your Risk - GP-Non-procedural Scale. Results: GPs reported performing risk-management behaviours frequently in six key areas: practitioner communication, facilitating patient responses, managing adverse outcomes, practice setting, diagnosis, and prescribing/treatment. Risk-management behaviours varied little by age, sex or workload, with 'facilitating patient responses' being a key domain in age, sex and workload differences (older GPs and women self-reported higher performance) later found to be not significant when the interaction of age, sex and workload was examined. Conclusion: Most GPs were actively engaged in general risk-management behaviours. This self-assessment tool and education strategy identified areas for improvement for individual GPs. The initiative prompted GPs to seek additional education including practice reviews. This risk-management strategy would be applicable to sole practices, group practices and divisions of general practice. Workload intensity may be a major consideration in the focus and extent of participation in risk-management behaviours, and research using varying levels of workload intensity is recommended. © 2008 Radcliffe Publishing.

Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:

http://hdl.handle.net/10453/29035