| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
|
|
|
|||||||
|
|||||||||
1 Pediatric Practice Research Group (PPRG), Mary Ann and J. Milburn Smith Child Health Research Program, Children’s Memorial Research Center, Children’s Memorial Hospital, and Department of Pediatrics, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Ill
2 Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, Md
3 Colorado Research Network (CaReNet), Department of Family Medicine, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Aurora, Colo
4 American Academy of Family Physicians National Research Network (AAFP NRN), Leawood, Kan, and Department of Sociology, University of Missouri, Kansas City, Mo
5 San Diego Unified Research in Family Medicine Network (SURF*NET), Family and Preventive Medicine, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, Calif
6 Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Research Network (APRNet), Yale School of Nursing, Yale University, New Haven, Conn
7 Research Involving Outpatient Settings Network (RIOSNet), University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR: Helen J. Binns, MD, MPH, 2300 Children’s Plaza, #157, Chicago, IL 60614, hbinns{at}northwestern.edu
PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to describe clinical encounters in primary care research networks and compare them with those of the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS).
METHODS Twenty US primary care research networks collected data on clinicians and patient encounters using the Primary Care Network Survey (PRINS) Clinician Interview (PRINS-1) and Patient Record (PRINS-2), which were newly developed based on NAMCS tools. Clinicians completed a PRINS-1 about themselves and a PRINS-2 for each of 30 patient visits. Data included patient characteristics; reason for the visit, diagnoses, and services ordered or performed. We compared PRINS data with data obtained from primary care physicians during 5 cycles of NAMCS (1997–2001). Data were weighted; PRINS reflects participating networks and NAMCS provides national estimates.
RESULTS By discipline, 89% of PRINS clinicians were physicians, 4% were physicians in residency training, 5% were advanced practice nurses/nurse-practitioners, and 2% were physician’s assistants. The majority (53%) specialized in pediatrics (34% specialized in family medicine, 9% in internal medicine, and 4% in other specialties). All NAMCS clinicians were physicians, with 20% specializing in pediatrics. When NAMCS and PRINS visits were compared, larger proportions of PRINS visits involved preventive care and were made by children, members of minority racial groups, and individuals who did not have private health insurance. A diagnostic or other assessment service was performed for 99% of PRINS visits and 76% of NAMCS visits (95% confidence interval, 74.9%–78.0%). A preventive or counseling/education service was provided at 64% of PRINS visits and 37% of NAMCS visits (95% confidence interval, 35.1%–38.0%).
CONCLUSIONS PRINS presents a view of diverse primary care visits and differs from NAMCS in its methods and findings. Further examinations of PRINS data are needed to assess their usefulness for describing encounters that occur in primary care research networks.
Key Words: Practice-based research • health care delivery • health services research • primary care • ambulatory care • office visits • physicians • allied health personnel • prevention • survey methods
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  J.-K. Soler, I. Okkes, M. Wood, and H. Lamberts The coming of age of ICPC: celebrating the 21st birthday of the International Classification of Primary Care Fam. Pract., June 17, 2008; (2008) cmn028v1. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 L. M. Dickerson, C. Kraus, G. M. Kuo, C. A. Weber, O. V. Bazaldua, J. M. Tovar, A. L. Hume, T. J. Ives, J. G. Gums, and B. L. Carter Formation of a primary care pharmacist practice-based research network Am. J. Health Syst. Pharm., October 1, 2007; 64(19): 2044 - 2049. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 K. C. Stange In This Issue: Doctor-Patient and Drug Company-Patient Communication Ann. Fam. Med, January 1, 2007; 5(1): 2 - 4. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
