Study showing poor GP care slammed by critics
16th July 2012
By Paul Smith
An Australian-first study suggesting 43% of the care provided by GPs, specialists and hospitals is "suboptimal" has been savaged for being methodologically flawed and based on poor evidence.
The researchers behind CareTrack Australia said the $2.5 million study showed care for COPD was inappropriate in 29% of patient encounters. For depression it rose to 45%, and for the treatment of asthma, to 62%.
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The study used surveyors to access the records of patients being treated for 22 common conditions. Those records were then judged
