An analysis of the activities of general practitioners.

This study has demonstrated that activity sampling is a practical and sensitive method of analysing the general practitioner's task. The data so gathered can be used in planning and devising innovations in practice management, in planning and evaluating the use of allied health professionals for non- diagnostic tasks, for assisting in the definition of objectives for medical education more clearly, and finally, when the appropriate indices have been developed, for evaluating the quality of care provided.