The Evaluation Of General Practice In Community Health Centres: A Critical Review

Australian general practice is currently the subject of intense governmental review. Community Health Centres (CHCs) in Victoria have general practice established as part of their primary health care services, whereas this i s not generally the case in New South Wales CHCs. This paper examines Australian and international literature describing the evaluation of general practice conducted within CHCs, and it uses the evaluation criteria suggested by the original 1973 National Hospitals and Health Services Commission which established CHCs. This review found that there is little objective evaluation findings upon which to base the decision to employ general practitioners as full time salaried employees of CHCs. Of the original evaluation parameters suggested, CHC general practice unit costs, patient and professional satisfaction and service utilisation have been addressed by some research and discussion papers. The collection and impact of epidemiological data, professional audit, community participation, co-ordination and continuity of services and accessibility of services have been ignored by reporters of CHC general practice. An evaluation of CHC general practice would be of benefit to determining the impact of the future of general practitioners within CHCs.