Patients with traumatic spinal cord injuries and their satisfaction with their general practitioner

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to examine how satisfied patients with traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI) are with their general practitioners (GP).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The study included patients with TSCI, injured in the period 1982-2001 and living in western Norway. We performed a structured telephonic interview of the patients in the period 2004-2007. A total of 105 (59.3%) patients participated.

RESULTS

Patients with TSCI were in general satisfied with their GP. Older patients were most satisfied, and patients with incomplete thoracic SCI were least satisfied. Patients with anxiety and/or depression reported low satisfaction with their GP on several parameters.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with incomplete SCI were least satisfied probably because their physicians do not acknowledge their complicated medical complaints and do not meet the patient's expectations. Patients with anxiety and/or depression were more likely to report low satisfaction with their GP.

New wine in an old bottle: does alienation provide an explanation of the origins of physician discontent?

We have witnessed transformational changes to the U.S. health care system over several decades. Alongside these changes is an increasing number of research reports and commentaries on physician workplace dissatisfaction and discontent. Primary care physicians, in particular, report dissatisfaction with conditions on the ground. Is there solid evidence concerning the magnitude of doctors' discontent, and how is it changing over time? Is it confined to the United States, or is it also occurring in other countries with different health care systems? Does physician discontent affect the processes, quality, and outcomes of medical care? This article addresses these questions. It considers the dimensions of physician dissatisfaction, whether there is a problem, and competing contributions to physician discontent. The authors suggest that the classic concept of alienation may build upon valuable earlier work and provide a new, coherent explanation of the workplace origins of physician discontent. Alienation theory combines both structural and psychological components associated with workplace discontent and has the potential to explain the changing position of knowledge workers (such as physicians) in the new economy.

Healthcare reforms and job satisfaction among doctors in Norway

Aims: To examine the trend in job satisfaction from 2000 to 2006 among Norwegian doctors, and the possible impact of two comprehensive healthcare reforms on doctors’ job satisfaction. Methods: The study population consisted of a representative sample of approximately 1,600 Norwegian doctors, selected from nationwide repeated postal surveys in 2000, 2002, 2004 and 2006. The questionnaires contained the validated 10-item job satisfaction scale (JSS). Each item was scored on a seven-point Likert scale from 1 (very dissatisfied) to 7 (very satisfied). General linear modelling (GLM) controlled for gender, age, specialty and type of job was used to describe the trend in the score of JSS from 2000 to 2006. Results: The overall job satisfaction among Norwegian doctors was high and relatively stable from 2000 to 2004, with a non-significant dip in 2002. There was a significant increase in job satisfaction from 2000 to 2006. The job satisfaction was generally higher for older doctors than for younger doctors, but no gender difference was found. Private practice specialists were the most satisfied at all points in time, and general practitioners were more satisfied than hospital doctors. No significant or persistent impact of two healthcare reforms was found. Conclusion: Job satisfaction among Norwegian doctors is high and increasing. The lack of impact on this even from comprehensive healthcare reforms points to a robust satisfaction based on internal values more than external changes. The consistent finding of increasing — rather than declining — job satisfaction among Norwegian doctors, contrasts with widely held opinions in the public.