Marshall Emily Gard, Ogah Imhokhai, Lawson Beverley, Gibson Richard J, Burge Frederick
Department of Family Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada.
Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada.
Fam Pract. 2017 Nov 16;34(6):697-701. doi: 10.1093/fampra/cmx043.
Family physicians (FPs) are expected to take on new patients fairly and equitably and to not discriminate based on medical or social history. 'Meet and greet' appointments are initial meetings between physicians and prospective patients to establish fit between patient needs and provider scope of practice. The public often views these appointments as discriminatory; however, there is no empirical evidence regarding their prevalence or outcomes.
To determine the proportion of FPs conducting 'meet and greets' and their outcomes.
Study design and setting: Census telephone survey of all FP practices in Nova Scotia (NS). Participants: Person who answers the FP office telephone. Main Outcomes: Proportion of FPs holding 'meet and greets'; proportion of FPs conducting 'meet and greets' who have ever decided not to continue seeing a patient after the meeting.
9.2% of FPs accept new patients unconditionally; 51.1% accept new patients under certain conditions. Of those accepting patients unconditionally or with conditions, 46.9% require a 'meet and greet'; 41.8% have a first-come, first-serve policy. Among FPs who require a 'meet and greet', 44.0% decided, at least once, not to continue seeing a patient after the first meeting.
'Meet and greets' are common among FPs in NS and result in some patients not being accepted into practice. More research is needed to understand the intentions, processes, and outcomes of 'meet and greets'. We recommend that practice scope be made clear to prospective patients before their first visit, which may eliminate the need for 'meet and greets'.
家庭医生（FPs）应公平、公正地接纳新患者，不得基于医疗或社会病史进行歧视。“见面约谈”预约是医生与潜在患者之间的初次会面，以确定患者需求与医生执业范围是否匹配。公众通常认为这些预约具有歧视性；然而，尚无关于其发生率或结果的实证证据。
确定进行“见面约谈”的家庭医生比例及其结果。
研究设计与设置：对新斯科舍省（NS）所有家庭医生诊所进行普查电话调查。参与者：接听家庭医生办公室电话的人员。主要结果：进行“见面约谈”的家庭医生比例；进行“见面约谈”后决定不再继续诊治某患者的家庭医生比例。
9.2%的家庭医生无条件接纳新患者；51.1%在某些条件下接纳新患者。在无条件或有条件接纳患者的医生中，46.9%要求进行“见面约谈”；41.8%实行先到先得政策。在要求进行“见面约谈”的家庭医生中，44.0%至少有一次在初次会面后决定不再继续诊治某患者。
“见面约谈”在新斯科舍省的家庭医生中很常见，导致一些患者未被接纳。需要更多研究来了解“见面约谈”的意图、过程和结果。我们建议在潜在患者首次就诊前向其明确执业范围，这可能无需进行“见面约谈”。
