Record keeping in Norwegian general practice.

Routines of medical record keeping were studied in a random sample of 50 out of 228 general practitioners in two counties, Möre & Romsdal and Sör-Tröndelag. One doctor refused to participate and one had retired. The 48 physicians were interviewed and a questionnaire was completed with details about their record keeping. The standard of the records was assessed according to legibility, quality of notes, past history and tidiness using a score system. All general practitioners had records for every patient, but the quality of the records varied considerably. More than 50 per cent used handwriting in progress notes, which varied from diagnostic labels to extended reports. Few records contained accessible background information about the patient concerned, and many records contained large amounts of old and irrelevant papers. The record-scores varied from 3 to maximum 10 with an average of 6.7. Higher Standards of recording in general practice are called for, since the quality of records does not only affect the individual patient, but, in the end, the quality of medical care in general.

Isochromosome Yq in a woman with atypical Turner's syndrome.

A female with 46,X,i(Yq) in all cells and a survey of previous cases of isochromosome Yq is presented. She was first admitted to hospital 15 years old due to nanismus and retarded sexual development. Gonadal dysgenesia was observed, and the diagnosis 'atypical Turner's syndrome' was applied. The patient, who presents only a few Turner stigmata, has been given cyclic estrogen treatment since the age of 16. She has developed normal secondary sex characteristics, cyclic bleedings and has attained normal height (161 cm). Since the age of 18 the patient has suffered various periods of anemia caused by gastrointestinal hemorrhage. This hemorrhage is probably due to intestinal teleangiectasiae which are found with increased frequency in patients with Turner's syndrome.