Patients' needs for contact with their GP at the time of hospital admission and other life events: a quantitative and qualitative exploration.

PURPOSE: Our goal was to explore patients' anticipated needs for contact with their general practitioner (GP) at the time of hospital admissions and other life events.
METHODS: We undertook a questionnaire survey of 875 patients from 35 general practices spread throughout The Netherlands and a qualitative interview study with 30 patients.
RESULTS: Most patients expected to need contact with their GP if admitted to a hospital for a serious condition, such as a malignancy (98%) or a heart attack (97%). For minor conditions, such as a minor foot operation, contact was considered less important (33%). At the time of major life events, many patients anticipated needing contact as well: 81% in the case of a birth within the family, 90% in the case of a death in the family. In the quantitative analysis patients' wants were related only to a minor extent to patient characteristics. The qualitative analysis, however, distinguished categories of patients with different needs. Some patients were more technical in their needs, others focussed primarily on the relationship.
CONCLUSION: Patients appear to have considerable need for contact with their physician at the time of hospital admission and other life events. The profession should reflect on this underexplored field and attempt to take a policy-making position toward initiating patient contact.