Role of family physicians in hospitals. Did it change between 1977 and 1997?

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether hospital activities and attitudes toward hospitals of members of an urban family medicine department changed between 1977 and 1997. To explore whether these activities and attitudes are different among fee-for-service (FFS) and non-FFS physicians in 1997. DESIGN: Cross-sectional surveys by interview (1977) and self-administered questionnaire (1997). SETTING: Community-based family practices in Hamilton, Ont. PARTICIPANTS: In 1977, 88 of 89 (98.9%) and, in 1997, 66 of 88 (75.0%) members of the Department of Family Medicine at St Joseph's Hospital in Hamilton. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Perceived reasons for involvement in hospital work; time spent and main activities in hospital; use of hospital privileges; attitudes toward family physicians' role in hospital, hospital work, and the Department of Family Medicine; perceptions of patients', consultants', and hospital administrators' attitudes toward family physicians' role in hospitals. RESULTS: In 1977 and 1997, patient care and continuing education remained key reasons for doing hospital work. In 1997, however, respondents spent a mean of 3 hours less per week in hospital; used the hospital less often for procedures, meetings, and teaching; and assumed less responsibility for their patients' in-hospital care. While perceptions of hospital work changed over the years, most physicians continued to see a need and have a desire to remain involved in hospitals. Fee-for-service and non-FFS physicians held different opinions on the needs of both hospitalized patients and family physicians. CONCLUSION: Although physicians' hospital activities and attitudes changed between 1997 and 1997, most continued to see a need and have a desire to remain involved in hospitals.

Improving communication between hospital and community physicians. Feasibility study of a handwritten, faxed hospital discharge summary. Discharge Summary Study Group.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the timing, legibility, and completeness of handwritten, faxed hospital discharge summaries as judged by family physicians and to obtain their opinion on the information categories on a standardized discharge summary form. DESIGN: Fax survey of physicians for consecutive patients discharged from hospital over 8 weeks. SETTING: Three wards in a tertiary care teaching hospital. PARTICIPANTS: One hundred two family physicians and general practitioners practising in Hamilton, Ont. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Proportions of summaries that were received, received within 48 hours of discharge, legible, and complete; types of information missing from incomplete summaries; proportion of physicians satisfied with the information categories. RESULTS: Of 271 consecutive patient discharges, 195 (72%) were eligible for study. Among those ineligible, 22 patients (8%) did not have a family doctor identified on their hospital records. Among records that did have a family physician identified, fax numbers were unavailable or unknown for 54 physicians (20%). One hundred two physicians completed 166 discharge summary assessments for a response rate of 85% (166/195). By 3 weeks after discharge, 138 discharge summaries (83%) had been received by patients' family doctors. Among those received, 86% were received within 48 hours of discharge; 92% were legible; and 88% were complete. Hospital doctors' signatures, patients' diagnoses, and follow-up plans were most frequently missing. Ninety-five percent of physicians were satisfied with the information categories included on the standardized form. CONCLUSIONS: Handwritten, faxed hospital discharge summaries were acceptable to family physicians for most patients. Criteria are needed for determining which patients require both handwritten and dictated discharge summaries.

Pressure sores: an age-old problem of the aged.

The most frequently cited and/or best-designed studies of pressure sore prevention and treatment in the last 25 years are almost all uncontrolled. These studies are critically reviewed. An appropriate methodology for evaluating the effectiveness of decubitus ulcer management, based on data and experience, is outlined. A suggested treatment protocol is described.