What causes treatment failure - the patient, primary care, secondary care or inadequate interaction in the health services?

ABSTRACT:

Background

Optimal treatment gives complete relief of symptoms of many disorders. But even if such treatment is available, some patients have persisting complaints. One disorder, from which the patients should achieve complete relief of symptoms with medical or surgical treatment, is gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Despite the fact that such treatment is cheap, safe and easily available; some patients have persistent complaints after contact with the health services. This study evaluates the causes of treatment failure.

Methods

Twelve patients with GERD and persistent complaints had a semi-structured interview which focused on the patients' evaluation of treatment failure. The interviews were taped, transcribed and evaluated by 18 physicians, (six general practitione

SUBMITTER: Farup PG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3126699 | biostudies-literature | 2011 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature