Regional variation of patient behaviour and reasons for consultation in the general practice of Northern Germany: protocol for an observational study.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Inappropriate supply and an increasing demand on the healthcare system have been of concern for health policy in Germany for at least 15 years. In the primary care setting, this especially relates to an undersupply of general practitioners (GPs) in the countryside. In addition, there seem to be other regional differences, for example, a difference in accessing primary and secondary care between rural and urban areas. Despite these findings, regional differences in health services have not been studied extensively in Germany. Therefore, this study aims to explore regional variations of patient populations and reasons for accessing primary medical care.

Methods and analysis

We will conduct a cross-sectional observational study based on standardised interviews with

SUBMITTER: Schafer I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4932249 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature