PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Guthmann, Richard A.
TI  - New-Patient Self-History Questionnaires in Primary Care
AID  - 10.3122/15572625-11-1-23
DP  - 1998 Jan 01
TA  - The Journal of the American Board of Family
                Practice
PG  - 23--27
VI  - 11
IP  - 1
4099  - http://www.jabfm.org/content/11/1/23.short
4100  - http://www.jabfm.org/content/11/1/23.full
SO  - J Am Board Fam Med1998 Jan 01; 11
AB  - Background: In the current environment of increasing health care efficiency, the benefits of patient self-history questionnaires need to be fully explored. The utility and reliability of new-patient self-history questionnaires have been documented in the medical literature. This study investigates the prevalence of these patient self-history forms in primary care offices. Methods: A sample of primary care offices listed in the yellow pages by specialty were surveyed by telephone. Survey questions included the use of new-patient self-history questionnaires as well as other characteristics about the offices. Findings from offices using questionnaires were compared with findings from offices not using questionnaires. Results: Of 129 offices contacted by telephone, 116 (90 percent) responded. Of the 116 offices surveyed, 53 percent were using new-patient self-history questionnaires. Offices using questionnaires had more patients in managed care (P = 0.028) and fewer patients insured by Medicare or Medicaid (P = 0.002). There were no significant differences in other office characteristics. Conclusions: This study shows that primary care offices underutilize new-patient self-history questionnaires.