Changes over time in respondents’ attitudes about the role of family physicians in the hospital
| STATEMENT | PROPORTION OF RESPONDENTS WHO AGREED | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 1997 | 1977 | |
| The role of the family physician in the hospital has changed | 92.3 | 93.8 | 92.0 |
| The shift of inpatient medical care to outpatient settings and decreased lengths of stay have changed the role of the family physician in-hospital | 78.0 | NA | NA |
| Patient care has become increasingly complex, demanding more in the office, with less time available for hospital care | 91.2 | NA | NA |
| The shift to outpatient care has increased the office workload | 84.4 | NA | NA |
| If family physicians do not continue to be involved in the hospital setting, the quality of patient care will decrease | 47.3 | 87.5* | 92.1† |
| The family physician should attend hospital inpatients to function as a patient advocate in the hospital system | 49.5 | 95.3‡ | 92.0‡ |
| Hospital work is a waste of time for family physicians | 20.9 | 28.1 | 18.1 |
| Specialists would benefit from participation of family physicians in the hospital | 71.4 | NA | NA |
| Full-time teaching consultants do not perceive a (understand the) role for family physicians in-hospital | 59.3 | 71.9 | 82.9 |
| Family physicians in St Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton should have input in teaching residents | 64.8 | NA | 83.0 |
| Patient care suffers if patients are not attended by their own family physician while in-hospital | 35.2 | 70.8* | 93.2† |
| I can provide better overall care if I am able to attend my patients in-hospital | 48.4 | NA | 87.4‡ |
| I get satisfaction from attending my patients in-hospital | 60.4 | NA | 97.8§ |
| I feel needed by the hospital | 15.4 | 15.2 | 50.6† |
| My patients expect me to see them in-hospital | 27.5 | 90.8† | 100.0† |
| Family physicians feel impotent to make changes within the hospital | 67.4 | NA | 89.6 |
| The Department of Family Medicine at St Joseph’s Hospital offers little of value to the practising family physician | 13.2 | 27.7 | 18.2 |
| A main role to be played by the Department of Family Medicine at St Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton should be in the realm of continuing education | 76.7 | 84.5 | 92.0 |
| Family physicians are not adequately represented in hospital policy decisions | 52.7 | NA | 55.7 |
| Remuneration for hospital visits is poor | 74.7 | NA | NA |
| Geographic spread of patients over the city makes it impractical to visit hospital inpatients | 91.2 | NA | NA |
| Information technology has lessened the need to attend the hospital to obtain patient medical information | 68.1 | NA | NA |
NA—data not available in previous survey or question was not asked.
↵* Significant change (compared with 2014 results) measured by z test of difference of proportions, P = .002.
↵† Significant change (compared with 2014 results) measured by z test of difference of proportions, P < .001.
↵‡ Significant change (compared with 2014 results) measured by z test of difference of proportions, P = .001.
↵§ Significant change (compared with 2014 results) measured by z test of difference of proportions, P = .005.