PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - G K Freeman
TI  - Receptionists, appointment systems and continuity of care.
DP  - 1989 Apr 01
TA  - The Journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners
PG  - 145--147
VI  - 39
IP  - 321
4099  - http://bjgp.org/content/39/321/145.short
4100  - http://bjgp.org/content/39/321/145.full
SO  - J R Coll Gen Pract1989 Apr 01; 39
AB  - The influence of receptionists on continuity of care in four group practices was examined. Twenty two receptionists were observed making 543 appointments and afterwards were interviewed about their personal priority for continuity of care. One of the practices ran a personal list system. It was found that the personal list practice attracted more requests for a specific doctor and time which were then more difficult to satisfy. Most receptionists thought it was important that patients should see the same doctor but their influence seemed to be small compared with that of the doctor as expressed in practice policies. Marked variation in demand for individual doctors was seen in two of the practices without a personal list system.