RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Frequent attenders in general practice: a retrospective 20-year follow-up study.
JF British Journal of General Practice
JO Br J Gen Pract
FD British Journal of General Practice
SP 567
OP 569
VO 51
IS 468
A1 T A Carney
A1 S Guy
A1 G Jeffrey
YR 2001
UL http://bjgp.org/content/51/468/567.abstract
AB We describe a 20-year retrospective study of 58 patients with a cross-matched control group in one practice, who initially attended more than 12 times in 1975. The study establishes that frequent attendance is not consistent; the majority of high-attending patients in general practice revert over a short period of time to a normal consulting pattern. Diseases, rather than patients, appear to dictate high consulting rates. Consistent high attendance is largely owing to multiple pathology.