Dr Maureen Baker, chair of the RCGP, said that GPs would have more than 370m patient consultations this year – an increase of 60m in five years.
ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01510964 This article assesses if a preconsultation intervention (QPS) facilitates greater participation of patients in the consultation process, by determining an increase in questioning and/or in the number of different illness related issues (eg, diagnosis, treatment, prognosis) being discussed with the oncologist.
The main aim is to assess if a preconsultation intervention (QPS) facilitates greater participation of patients in the consultation process, by determining an increase in questioning and/or in the number of different illness related issues (eg, diagnosis, treatment, prognosis) being discussed with the oncologist.
Two studies showed an increase in consultation length with increased doctor training [ 27, 45], while three [ 29, 39, 43] did not find this difference.
However, part of the increase may also be due to rising public awareness of migraine or increased medical consultation resulting in an increased rate of physician diagnosis.
After adjustment for patient characteristics, acupuncture remained associated with higher consultation rates and an increased use of other health care services like physiotherapy.
Part of the increase may be due to increased medical consultation resulting in an increased rate of physician diagnosis or awareness due to previous participation in the 1994 survey.
Although evidence is lacking of an increase in consultation length as a result of the interventions, the data could be considered to indicate a trend to longer consultations.
E.g., an IRR of 1.5 for disorder X is interpreted as an increase in consultation rate by 50% when disorder X is present [ 24].
