Identifying patterns in primary care consultations: a cluster analysis.

摘要

BACKGROUND: A literature review revealed that little is known about the systems context of general practice consultations and their outcomes. OBJECTIVES: To describe the systems context and resulting underlying patterns of primary care consultations in a local area. DESIGN: Cross-sectional multi-practice study based on a three-part questionnaire. Cluster analysis of data. SETTING: Stratified random sample of general practices and general practitioners--NSW-Central Coast, Australia. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 1104 adults attending 12 general practitioners between February and November 1999. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The study identified seven subgroups within the study population uniquely defined by variables from the health system, individual doctor and patient, consultation and consultation outcomes domains. A systems approach provides a framework in which to track and consider the important variables and their known and/or expected workings and thus offer a contextual framework to guide primary care reform.