Table 1 Preferences of exposed and non-exposed GPs towards illness or disease-focused interventions to improve LRTI management
Exposed GPs | Preference |
|---|---|
'You can't take them apart, I want them both.' (GP1) | Undecided |
'I found CRP less useful than communication skills training.' (GP2) | CST |
'Communication is the key component of our profession. If not doing it [communication skills as thought in the training] yet, one should immediately consider it. The other thing [CRP] is an addition, but a very useful one in my opinion.' (GP7) | CST |
'Communication, as I think this is the most important in consultations, either in LRTI or another condition... CRP as a value is wonderful, but it doesn't tell you everything.' (GP8) | CST |
'Communication skills training.' (GP9) | CST |
'If I really need to choose I need to say communication skills training.... That was great fun to do, to systematically use it, it works.' (GP10) | CST |
'The communicative bit has my preference yes. I always try to do without the test, but well, if I don't succeed I pull out CRP to convince patients.' (GP13) | CST |
'Communication. I try to structure my consultation to give attention to all aspects, and CRP can be one of them.' (GP14) | CST |
'Communication training... in the majority of patients you do well with these skills, and when in doubt with CRP.' (GP17) | CST |
'You'll achieve most by doing communication skills training.' (GP18) | CST |
Non-exposed GPs | Preference |
'I'd choose CRP. Two reasons: I'm a games person, so I love such a test very much... and because I feel that communication skills training thing, well... I don't think I need to improve that much in that field... I don't feel communication is the problem in antibiotic prescribing.' (GP3) | CRP |
'Yes, CRP.' (GP4) | CRP |
'CRP, as it is useful in my practice and because I feel I can get patients on my side with it. I think that the magic of the machine is more than the magic of my words.' (GP5) | CRP |
'Most obvious would be CRP, easier and less time consuming.' (GP6) | CRP |
'CRP, as I think that I will not improve that much when knowing how to give information back to the patient, but I would find it useful to have such a test in my practice.' (GP11) | CRP |
'I think communication training, as I can buy CRP myself.' (GP12) | CST |
'CRP, it is useful to know that it is there to be used.' (GP15) | CRP |
'CRP could help me in case of doubt, I don't see how communication would help me in that regard.' (GP16) | CRP |
'In the end communication skills training will benefit the most. It is, in any form, always an eye-opener and even if only small bits are remembered, it is nice.' (GP19) | CST |
'CRP for sure. Much easier, much faster. I expect more of it than of communication skills training. Such a training will offer some extra, but not much.' (GP20) | CRP |