Evaluation of the use of rural health clinics: attitudes and behaviors of primary care physicians in service areas of nurse practitioner clinics. 1982

T R Sharpe, and B F Banahan

In response to concerns of the directors of Rural Health Initiative projects in Mississippi, a study was conducted to examine factors related to use of rural health clinics. This report focuses on attitudes and behaviors of primary care physicians in the service areas of four clinics staffed by nurse practitioners. Data for this evaluation were obtained via mail questionnaires sent to 41 primary care physicians in the service areas of the clinics. Usable responses were received from 25 (61.0 percent) of the physicians. The data indicate that a majority of these physicians approve of the nurse practitioner concept. Although there is evidence to support a positive correlation between previous experience and knowledge concerning nurse practitioners and physician acceptance of the nurse practitioner concept, only about half of the physicians reported that anyone had ever contacted them to talk about the clinic. Only about a quarter of the physicians had ever visited the rural health clinic, but 60 percent indicated that they would like to do so. These findings indicate a need to develop closer working relationships with all primary care physicians in the service area of a rural health clinic. The data indicate that when such a closer relationship existed, physicians were satisfied with the outcome of interactions. Twelve (48 percent) physicians stated that they had patient(s) referred to them by the clinic. Among these physicians 77.8 percent were satisfied with the information that they had received on the patient's condition. Fewer physicians (8 or 32.0 percent) reported that they had received a call from the nurse practitioner clinic to consult about one of the physician's patients. The physicians were satisfied with the outcome of the consultation in each instance that was reported.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008922 Mississippi State bounded on the north by Tennessee, on the east by Alabama, on the south by Louisiana and Gulf of Mexico, and on the west by Arkansas and Louisiana.
D009722 Nurse Practitioners Nurses who are specially trained to assume an expanded role in providing medical care under the supervision of a physician. Nurse Practitioner,Practitioner, Nurse,Practitioners, Nurse
D010821 Physicians, Family Those physicians who have completed the education requirements specified by the American Academy of Family Physicians. Family Physician,Family Physicians,Physician, Family
D011795 Surveys and Questionnaires Collections of data obtained from voluntary subjects. The information usually takes the form of answers to questions, or suggestions. Community Survey,Nonrespondent,Questionnaire,Questionnaires,Respondent,Survey,Survey Method,Survey Methods,Surveys,Baseline Survey,Community Surveys,Methodology, Survey,Nonrespondents,Questionnaire Design,Randomized Response Technique,Repeated Rounds of Survey,Respondents,Survey Methodology,Baseline Surveys,Design, Questionnaire,Designs, Questionnaire,Methods, Survey,Questionnaire Designs,Questionnaires and Surveys,Randomized Response Techniques,Response Technique, Randomized,Response Techniques, Randomized,Survey, Baseline,Survey, Community,Surveys, Baseline,Surveys, Community,Techniques, Randomized Response
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000554 Ambulatory Care Facilities Those facilities which administer health services to individuals who do not require hospitalization or institutionalization. Clinics, Free-Standing,Health Centers, Ambulatory,Outpatient Clinics,Abortion Centers,Abortion Clinics,Ambulatory Care Facilities, Non Hospital,Ambulatory Care Facilities, Non-Hospital,Ambulatory Care Facilities, Nonhospital,Clinic Activities,Family Planning Centers,Outpatient Clinic,Urgent Care Centers,Urgent Care Clinics,Abortion Center,Abortion Clinic,Activities, Clinic,Activity, Clinic,Ambulatory Care Facility,Ambulatory Health Center,Ambulatory Health Centers,Care Center, Urgent,Care Centers, Urgent,Care Clinic, Urgent,Care Clinics, Urgent,Center, Abortion,Center, Ambulatory Health,Center, Family Planning,Center, Urgent Care,Centers, Abortion,Centers, Ambulatory Health,Centers, Family Planning,Centers, Urgent Care,Clinic Activity,Clinic, Abortion,Clinic, Free-Standing,Clinic, Outpatient,Clinic, Urgent Care,Clinics, Abortion,Clinics, Free Standing,Clinics, Outpatient,Clinics, Urgent Care,Facilities, Ambulatory Care,Facility, Ambulatory Care,Family Planning Center,Free-Standing Clinic,Free-Standing Clinics,Health Center, Ambulatory,Urgent Care Center,Urgent Care Clinic
D001291 Attitude of Health Personnel Attitudes of personnel toward their patients, other professionals, toward the medical care system, etc. Staff Attitude,Attitude, Staff,Attitudes, Staff,Health Personnel Attitude,Health Personnel Attitudes,Staff Attitudes
D012424 Rural Population The inhabitants of rural areas or of small towns classified as rural. Rural Residence,Rural Communities,Rural Spatial Distribution,Communities, Rural,Community, Rural,Distribution, Rural Spatial,Distributions, Rural Spatial,Population, Rural,Populations, Rural,Residence, Rural,Rural Community,Rural Populations,Rural Residences,Rural Spatial Distributions

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