1. The EURIPA Study Defining and describing rural practice
“Making the case for rural practice”

2. WONCA study Funded by Wonca Europe Scoping study Across all of Europe
EURIPA Listserver
Problems
Response rate
Language/culture
Size and complexity of questionnaire
Quantitative/qualitative

3. Which Country do you practice in?
Portugal 3
Turkey 2
Spain
Finland 1
France
Greece
Hungary
Romania
Scotland
Norway
Italy
Total 19

4. How is primary funded in your country?

5. Financial Do you have a state health service Is it insurance based
89%
Is it insurance based
57%
How do patients pay for services
Free service %
Nominal charge (return on justification) 19%
Nominal set fee %
Full cost %

6. Status of doctors in practice
How many doctors work in your practice
Average 4.6 (Range 1 to 16)
Distribution of doctors by
Gender
Male 56% Female 44%
Employment status
Full time: Male 87.8% Female 87.2%
Part time: Male 12.2% Female 12.8%
Qualification in Family Medicine
Male 53.2% Female 46.8%
How many hours a day do you work on average?
6 hours (Range 6-14)

7. Status of staff How many qualified nurses work in the practice
Average 3.7 (range 1-13)
Do practice staff have any qualifications in any area of medicine to contribute to primary care
Yes 47%

8. Population density % # Sig < 150 inhabitants/SqKM 47.4 9
5.3 1
> 150 inhabitants/SqKM
36.8 7
Sig > 150 inhabitants/SqKM
0.0
No comment
10.5 2
Total
100.0 19

9. Population served

10. Does the location of your practice affect the following?

11. Practice details What is your practice population
3720 (range 1200 to 17000)
Average time spent with each patient
12.4 minutes (5 to 20 minutes)
How soon are patients seen
Same day
57.9 11
Next day
5.3 1
48 hours later
No comment
26.3 5

12. Consultations, diagnostics and procedures
How do patients arrange a consultation
Appointments 80%
Just turn up! 20%
Can a patient have diagnostic tests and minor procedures conducted in the practice
78%

13. Outreach and specialities
Does your practice provide a community mental health service
47%
What outreach services are provided in your practice
Psychiatry
Paediatrics
Gynaecology
Physiotherapy
Laboratory

14. Obstetrics

15. Computer records

16. IT Skills Are all staff who need to be computer literate?
58%
Can your practice staff use IT to
Access /update computer records from own desk
63%
Link to diagnostic services
Access specialist services
31%

17. Distance and travel
How far is your practice from a district general hospital- 45 Km (Range 1 to 200 km)

18. Available transport for patients

19. Out of Hours Care Other forms of Out of Hours Cover: Local hospital
Country rota
Central town emergency service
Local traige esrvice
National call answering service (NHS 24)

20. Medication How are prescriptions paid for? Free 16% Patient 11%
Subsidised 73%

21. Continuing Professional Development
Is evidence of CPD necessary to continue in practice?
47%
Are there any incentives for undertaking CPD?
36%
Do you perceive a need for a rural postgraduate qualification in family medicine?
79%
Would you undertake such training?

22. Public health
Are preventative approaches to ill health explored in your practice
95%
Do you follow a programme of illness reduction (WHO guidelines)
84%
Do you have targets for some areas of medicine or disease improvement
58%
Chronic conditions (diabetes, hypertension, COPD, CHD), terminal care, vaccination, anti-natal care adolescent abortions, communicable diseases, quality prescribing, use of diagnostic services.
Rewards for achieving targets in some countries

23. Complaints Does your practice have a complaints procedure
74%
Do you have a process for investigating critical incidents
47%