Characteristics and trends in required home care by GPs in Austria: diseases and functional status of patients.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Almost all societies carry responsibility towards patients who require continuous medical care at home. In many health systems the general practitioner cooperates with community based services of home care and coordinates all medical and non medical activities. In Austria the general practitioner together and in cooperation with relatives of the patient and professional organisations usually takes on this task by visiting his patients. This study was carried out to identify diseases that need home care and to describe the functional profile of home care patients in eastern Austria.

Methods

Cross sectional observational study with 17 GP practices participating during 2 study periods in 1997 and in 2004 in eastern Austria. Each GP identified patients requiring home

SUBMITTER: Kamenski G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1592492 | biostudies-literature | 2006 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature