The role of the visiting doctor in primary care clinics

  • ID Couper University of the Witwatersrand
  • NH Malete Medunsa
  • JM Tumbo Medunsa
  • JFM Hugo Medunsa
Keywords: Primary health care, role, medical practitioners, district health

Abstract

The concept of doctors visiting clinics to support primary health care is well establish but the role that these doctors should play is not clear, and varies from area to area. As an approach to understanding the possible roles of visiting doctors in order to assist District Management Teams to produce job descriptions for such doctors, groups of clinic nurses in 2 districts in North West Province(Odi and Brits) were interviews in focus groups. The question posed was, "What do you think about the role of the visiting doctor at your clinic?"

Author Biographies

ID Couper, University of the Witwatersrand
MBBCh, MFamMed Professor of Rural Health, Department of Family Medicine
NH Malete, Medunsa
RN RM RCH (Psych) Senior Medical Technical Officer, Department of Family Medicine and Health Care
JM Tumbo, Medunsa
MBChB, MCFP (SA), MFamMed Researcher, Department of Family Medicine and Primary Health Care
JFM Hugo, Medunsa
MBChB, MFamMed Associate Professor/Principal Family Practitioner/Academic Head: North Western Province, Department of Family Medicine and Primary Health Care
Issue
Vol 45 No 6 (2003)
Section
Original Research
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