Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35172736›Full record

Observational studyBMC primary care2022

Physical examination performed by general practitioners in 5 community health service institutions in Beijing: an observational study.

Yun Wei, Feiyue Wang, Zhaolu Pan, Meirong Wang, Guanghui Jin, Xiaoqin Lu

Open access · goldAbstract readObservational Study
In one paragraph

Observational study in BMC primary care, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
2.8field-weighted citation impact, top 10% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed, 13 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Yun WeiDepartment of General Practice, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
Feiyue WangDepartment of General Practice, School of General Practice and Continuing Education, Capital Medical University, No. 10, Xitoutiao, You'anmenwai, Fengtai District, Beijing, 100069, China.
Zhaolu PanDepartment of General Practice, School of General Practice and Continuing Education, Capital Medical University, No. 10, Xitoutiao, You'anmenwai, Fengtai District, Beijing, 100069, China.
Meirong WangDepartment of General Practice, School of General Practice and Continuing Education, Capital Medical University, No. 10, Xitoutiao, You'anmenwai, Fengtai District, Beijing, 100069, China.
Guanghui Jin *Department of General Practice, School of General Practice and Continuing Education, Capital Medical University, No. 10, Xitoutiao, You'anmenwai, Fengtai District, Beijing, 100069, China.
Xiaoqin Lu *Department of General Practice, School of General Practice and Continuing Education, Capital Medical University, No. 10, Xitoutiao, You'anmenwai, Fengtai District, Beijing, 100069, China. cumsfmxq@ccmu.edu.cn.ORCID 0000-0001-6045-3421
Capital Medical University · CNBeijing Tongren Hospital · CN

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPhysical examination is a core component of consultation. Little is known about the status quo of physical examinations performed by general practitioners in community health service institutions in China. The aim of this study was to investigate general practitioners' performance of physical examinations in consultations.

methodsAn observational study was conducted in 5 community health service institutions in Beijing between November 2019 and January 2020. Eleven general practitioners were observed for one workday. Information of consecutive consultations was recorded including patient characteristics, reasons for encounter, physical examinations performed by general practitioners, length of consultation time and time spent on specific activities in consultations.

resultsA total of 682 consultations of 11 general practitioners were recorded. Physical examinations were performed in 126 consultations (15.8%). Physical examination was more likely to be performed in patients visiting with symptoms (P < 0.001). Majority of the 126 physical examinations were distributed in "Head, face, and neck examination" (n = 54, 42.9%) and "Cardiovascular examination" (n = 55, 43.7%). No physical examination was performed on skin, male genitalia, female breasts and genitalia, and neurological systems. Total 2823 min of activities were observed and recorded. General practitioners only spent 3.1% of the recorded time on physical examination, which was less than the time spent on taking history (18.2%), test (4.9%), diagnosis (22.7%), therapy (38.4%), and health education (8.6%). The average time spent on physical examinations was 0.8±0.4 min per consultation.

conclusionPhysical examination was insufficiently performed by general practitioners in community health service institutions in Beijing. More time and commitment should be advocated for improving the quality of physical examinations in primary care.

Indexed as

General PractitionersBeijingCommunity Health ServicesFemaleHumansMalePhysical ExaminationReferral and ConsultationBeijingCommunity health serviceConsultationGeneral practitionerPhysical examination

Identifiers

PMID35172736
PMCPMC8759261
OpenAlexW4225894580

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.