Clinical practice patterns among native and immigrant doctors doing out-of-hours work in Norway: a registry-based observational study.

ABSTRACT: To evaluate whether immigrant and native Norwegian doctors differ in their practice patterns. Observational study. Out-of-hours (OOH) emergency primary healthcare in Norway, 2008. All primary care physicians doing OOH work, altogether 4165 physicians. Number of patient contacts per doctor. Use of laboratory tests, minor surgery, sickness certification and length of consultations. Use of diagnoses related to psychiatric and sexual health. Choice of management strategy with psychiatric patients (psychotherapy or hospitalisation). 21.4% of the physicians were immigrants, and they had 30.6% of the patient contacts. Immigrant doctors from Asia, Africa and Latin America had most patient contacts, 633 (95% CI 549 to 716), while native Norwegian doctors had 306 (95% CI 288 to 325). In multivariate

SUBMITTER: Sandvik H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3400071 | biostudies-literature | 2012

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature